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A teen Junior helps man a Children's Activity Table at his club's annual Rock Show , Image credit: Joan Stoker
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Juniors are valuable volunteers too!
In fact, some junior members may be lifeblood of your club. The Future Rockhounds Junior Volunteer Award is designed to start older juniors on a path of lifelong service.
Chances are you have teens and pre-teens who
help with set up and take down at meetings,
assist at your annual rock show,
teach younger kids as part of your junior's program,
serve as a junior representative on your club's board,
participate in community outreach programs,
serve as a junior officer,
or staff the silent auction at your show...
Whatever the task, they deserve recognition, and this award is designed to instill pride in older juniors as they mature in their role as club members.
Note: This is not recognition for past service. It is a long-term incentive for junior members of your club age 10-17 who take the initiative to volunteer without being asked, contribute a total of 20 hours of volunteer work for their club, and independently log their own hours, with their leader's encouragement and oversight.
Junior Volunteer Award: The Process
Junior Volunteer Award: The Process
Leaders: Spread the word and distribute the Volunteer Award rules and the junior's own tracking sheet.
This award is not meant to be retroactive. Count only time volunteered after record sheets are started.
Emphasize that each Junior needs to track his/her own hours, and let the Juniors Leader (or other adult member overseeing this process) know when they do.
Please maintain the integrity of this program by ensuring the priorities are met. (An additional tracking sheet for the leader is available, but it is not necessary as long as the Junior's own records are accurate.
When a Junior has achieved 20 hours, the leader sends the following information to youth@amfed.org
Club name, location, and regional affiliation
Name and mailing address of the Junior Leader or adult club member responsible for the program.
Volunteer hours record sheet with the Junior's name and birthdate, and date hours were completed
The current AFMS Juniors Chairperson will send you the Junior Volunteer Award pin!
Why Have an Age Limit?
Why Have an Age Limit?
This award is designed for junior members who are ready to take on respsonibility and initating their own volunteer ideas rather than being told what to do, not a situation where a leader asks, "Who wants to help move chairs today". It is our hope to teach young individauls to be aware, to look around, and come to their own conclusions on what needs to be done and how they can help.
The award is also designed to teach record keeping skills and communication skills needed while working with adult mentors. For clubs using the Future Rockhounds of America badge program, these should sound familar and are found in the Leadership and Reaching Across Generations badges.
This award is meant to be a milestone marking a junior's status as a member who can be relied on to take responsibility and care about the future of their hobby. Completing 20 hours of volunteer service is meant to be a beginning, not an end. It is hoped that serving their club alongside adult members becomes a habit, done for the joy of serving, rather than for further recognition.
Beyond The Award
Beyond The Award
Clubs are encouraged to develope their own awards for juniors under the age of 10 and juniors who may have completed more than 20 volunteer hours. You might want to consider presenting younger members with a certificate and clubs may want to consider a schorlarship for members who complete additional hours above the 20 required for the AMFS award. Clubs may even want to consider designing their own pin or patch. You may also want to use the Junior Rockhound of the Year award to honor these indivduals. The AFMS Junior Volunteer Award is just a starting point!
We Proudly Recognize the Following Individuals
We Proudly Recognize the Following Individuals
2025
2025
Aubrey Andino - Indian Mounds Rock & Mineral Club
Lunnella Duffy - Indian Mounds Rock & Mineral Club
Lukas Shields - Indian Mounds Rock & Mineral Club
2024
2024
Micaden Steele - Lubbock Gem & Mineral Society, TX
Emmer Walls - Santa Lucia Rock Club, CA
Brandt Walls - Santa Lucia Rock Club, CA
Garet VandenBos - Indian Mounds Rock & Mineral Club, MI
Alex Murphy - Hellgate Gem & Mineral Society, MT
Gabe Murphy - Hellgate Gem & Mineral Society, MT
Gordon Brain - Tulsa Rock and Mineral Society, OK
2023
2023
Rylee Jones - Ventura Gem and Mineral Society, CA
Elyssa Jones - Venture Gem and Mineral Society, CA
Mathew VandenBos - Indian Mounds Rock & Mineral Club, MI
Eli Lorenz - Indian Mounds Rock & Mineral Club, MI
Caleb Kaiser - Indian Mounds Rock & Mineral Club, MI
Ezra Armas - North Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society, MS
Sophie Gunther - North Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society, MS
Sydney Thornton - North Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society, MS
Amelia Thorton - North Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society, MS
2022
2022
Jacob Fitch - Hellgate Mineral Society, MT
Josiah Fitch - Hellgate Mineral Society, MT
Elisheba Fitch - Hellgate Mineral Society, MT
Ian Kirk - Tulsa Rock & Mineral Society, OK
Lucia Hetrick - Ventura Gem and Mineral Society, CA
Cade Peters - Indian Mounds Rock &Mineral Club, MI
This program was designed by Joan Stoker from Indian Mounds Rock and Mineral Club in Michigan for use in her juniors club. This is an excellent example of a program that worked so well at the local level that we wanted to share it with clubs throughout the AFMS and give all juniors a chance to show what they are capable of accomplishing. Please let us know if you have a program you want to share with other clubs.
Award Guidelines & Juniors record form
Award Guidelines & Juniors record form
This document is meant to be given to the junior and parents. It explains the guidelines for the award. The personal record chart to be kept by the Junior is on page 2.
Click on the upper right corner of the document to enlarge it to view. You will also be able to print or download it from your viewscreen. Or you can click the blue button below for the pdf version.
About the image on this page
About the image on this page
Many rock clubs are stretched thin when it comes to the peoplepower needed to put on the big events. This club runs an educational "Eggbox Collection" activity for close to 1,ooo children during the 3 full days of their annual show. In the months previous to the show, over 20,000 specimens are collected and prepared for this. Adult and Junior volunteers make it happen.
Image Credit: Joan Stoker
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