In the mid 1950s, a loosely organized group of teens in Westport utilized a barn on the corner of Kings Highway North and Route 33 to rehabilitate injured wildlife and keep exotic animals, such as a pet monkey. The Junior Staff was organized in 1960 by Alan Mahl, the first director of the Mid Fairfield County Youth Museum, which was founded in 1958. The first official meeting of the Junior Staff was held on Saturday, April 23, 1960 at the Wadsworth Wildlife Sanctuary, the property on Woodside Lane that was donated to the new museum. The museum building was still under construction at that time, and opened in 1961.

The Junior Staff program features between 15 and 25 participants per year.  Over 500 children have participated over 50 years.

Today

Children ages 11-18 are taught by two senior naturalist instructors.  Junior Staff enjoy an enhanced education experience working with professionally accredited naturalists and scientists.  The students work on sanctuary projects and public service projects, and assist with family programs through out Fairfield County. Leaders provide the participants with career advice, opportunities and a broader environmental perspective.

The experience has been so successful, that over 80% of Junior Staffers remain in program for an average of 7 years.  The program provides Junior Staffers with a safe, goal-oriented and cooperative place to “hang-out”, and an environment where self-esteem and positive self-image are encouraged.  The Junior Staff attend sound biology and natural history programs.  The goal is to provide opportunities for students to become well-informed citizens with a habit of volunteering and caring for the natural environment

List of seminar topics, recent projects and field trips

Seminar topics: Invertebrates, herpetology, ornithology, mammalogy, botany, water systems, geology / geography / astronomy

Projects: Sherwood Mill Pond mitigation planting, Mile-a-minute Invasive plant eradication project - Westport, Monarch butterfly tagging in Hammonasset State Park – Madison, American Museum of Natural History -Great Gull Island tern reintroduction - New York

Weeklong trips: South Florida, Southwest Arizona, coastal Maine, Great Plains and Rockies, Smoky Mountains

Co-directors:
Margaret Ardwin, BS, MS Biology, full-time Earthplace staff
James Hunter, BS Biology , tenured biology teacher Wilton HS, former JS

Contact Margaret at g.ardwin@earthplace.org or 203 227-7253 x 106