A Summer Work Experience - from a Teenager's Perspective

In June 2019, I was hired for the Summer Student Employment Program [funded by the Canada Summer Jobs Grant] at the Park House Museum in Amherstburg. To be totally honest, I was a little intimidated about working at the Park House; I was the only teenager and youngest member of the staff, I had little to no experience with the historical information that was part of the everyday job and this was my very first “real” job - outside of babysitting. Now as my summer employment experience is coming to an end, I can honestly say that it has been an incredible learning experience.  My knowledge of the museum and the history that surrounds it has certainly increased. I now know the stories that surround the many different homeowners and the details of how the house was moved and reconstructed here in Amherstburg. I am familiar with the various period appropriate artifacts from the 1800s that fill the house and am also familiar with a ghost or two that is believed to still haunt the house today. While working at the Park House Museum this summer, not only have I been given the opportunity to learn all this historical information, but I have also had the chance to share this information with others from around the world. I have met many different people from multiple cultures, who all have a common interest in the history of Amherstburg.  I have also been able to provide service in both official languages due to my french education background. Working at the Park House Museum this summer has also provided me with hands on experience as to how things had to be done in the late 1800s. I have been able to view and understand how simple meals were prepared, how clothes were constructed and have even had the opportunity to work in the pensioners cottage where I have learned the craft of tinsmithing and how to operate an original printing press. I now realize how extremely important it is to understand our history, its effects on our current lifestyle, and all of the hard work that goes into restoring and maintaining a museum containing this valuable information. On a more personal note I have become much more independent and have discovered how important it is to build strong connections within your own community.  I strongly believe that more teenagers, like myself, need to start getting involved in our heritage and start finding ways to preserve our history. With more kids interested in historical places like the Park House Museum, we will have the ability to live in a more appreciative society, with people who truly understand why our history is important in shaping our future. written by Kenzie W.