Volunteering

Volunteer at the Santa Cruz Mission

Volunteer at the Santa Cruz Mission

 

Summer Archaeology Project

 

SAP 2015 - 2025

This summer we will continue our mission to prepare archaeological materials for further research, while training volunteers in basic laboratory procedures and interpretive skills to share history and stewardship messages with the public.

With a twist!

We are focusing on the American period of California History, with a new assemblage of artifacts. Within these contexts from excavations at Santa Clara University, we will be encountering a variety of materials and artifact types. To prepare us, Linda Hylkema & Tiffany Torma will train SAP volunteers to identify, catalogue, and house artifacts.

We hope you will join us on this new adventure, and look forward to an exciting and rewarding summer.

 

2025 Schedule:

Monday, June 16: 10am - 2pm Orientation

Training & Sorting Sessions: June 23 - August 18 

10am - 2:30pm

Total of 9 weeks

 

New Volunteers:

If you are interested in joining us this summer to do some of this critical archeological work, our volunteer form is now live on the State Parks volunteer website, BetterImpact. If this sounds like a project you'd like to join us on, please make an account and fill out the State Parks Volunteer Application and you will mark your primary location as Santa Cruz Mission SHP (no need to mark a secondary location). Please mention SAP in the application.
 

Fingerprinting:

All volunteers need to be fingerprinted You can go to Santa Cruz LiveScan near downtown, or another fingerprinting service. It is typically around $30.00. Look for updates in case we can bring SC LiveScan to the park for a group service on June 16th. (usually at a reduced fee.) Fill out this form and take it with you when you have the livescan done. It contains a code which will send the results to the park's HR department. 

https://www.santacruzlivescan.com/

 

Bear In Mind:

All volunteers are required to complete the Bear In Mind Training. This training covers the fundamentals of workplace awareness, and needs to be completed before the training and volunteer sessions begin. It can be done online or with a workbook, and typically takes less than 2 hours to complete. The time spent on the training will be credited towards your volunteer hours. 

 

Questions? Contact santacruzmission@ports.ca-us  or call the park at 831 425-5849 for more information. 

Teen Team

 TEEN TEAM for OLD FASHIONED CAMPFIRES 

 

What:

A youth volunteer group that assists with Old Fashioned Campfires at SCMSHP and other special events

 

Who:

Rising 9th - post 12th grade.

 

Dates & times: Teen Team at the comal

  • Training: Thursday, June 12th, 2025 3:30 -5:30pm
  • Campfire Friday, June 27, 2025 4:30 - 8:30pm
  • Campfire Friday, July 25, 2025 4:30 - 8:30pm
  • Campfire Friday, Aug 22, 2025 4:30 - 8:30pm

 

Examples of Duties: 

  • Be a positive Role Model
  • Fire building
  • Masa preparation
  • Lead Tortilla making station for the public
  • Participate in Teen skit at Campfire
  • Possibly lead a story, song, or cheer at campfire
  • Marshmallow monitors
  • Clean Up
  • Roadie work (Help band set up & break down)

 

The Leaders:

State Parks staff is excited to work alongside Stu Branoff, SCCS teacher and long time State Park Volunteer, and Randy Widera, environmental education leader and founder of the WOLF School.

 

How to participate:

Questions? Call the park 831 425-5849 or email santacruzmission@ports-ca.us