Make History: How Teens Can Digitally Transform Local Historical Societies 

Imagine uncovering a diary from the 1800s that no one has read in decades — or helping your town’s hidden stories become accessible to thousands of people with just a few clicks. If you're a high school student looking for a meaningful and original volunteer project, your local historical society might just be the coolest (and most surprising) place to start. 

Most historical societies are volunteer-run, often by passionate retirees who know the town’s stories inside and out. But while they may be rich in historical knowledge, they’re often short on tech support. That’s where you come in. 

Why historical societies need you 

Historical societies preserve the heart and soul of your community: the primary documents, photographs, oral histories, and artifacts that tell us where we’ve been and help us understand where we’re going. But much of this information still lives in dusty file folders, basement boxes, or barely functioning websites. Without help, these stories risk fading away. 

You, on the other hand, are fluent in search engines and file sharing, and you probably have better video-editing skills than most professionals. What if you used your skills to: 

• Digitize fragile letters, photos, or newspapers? 
• Create an organized, searchable online archive? 
• Design a simple, modern website or social media campaign?
• Record interviews with elders about historical events (and leverage text-to-speech apps to provide keyword-searchable transcriptions)?

Real projects, real impact 

Here are some real examples of historical societies across the U.S. where students like you can make a difference: 

• National Railway Historical Society – DC Chapter
  Help digitize decades of railroad history or assist with event planning and outreach in the D.C. area. 
• Minnesota Historical Society
  A huge archive with tons of primary sources and educational programming across Minnesota. Get involved with research, photography, and more. 
• Edina Historical Society (MN)
  A small-town treasure trove that needs volunteers for everything from archiving to exhibit creation. 
• Cass County Historical Society – Bonanzaville (ND)
  Work alongside volunteers to digitize artifacts or develop interactive educational materials. 
• Wisconsin Historical Society
  They welcome youth volunteers and have a strong interest in oral histories and digitization. 
• Albany Historical Society (Ten Broeck Mansion, NY)
  A great place for students interested in architecture, American Revolution history, and community events. 
• Staten Island Historical Society
  Help preserve NYC's history through living history exhibits, audio archives, and more. 
• Baltimore Historical Society
  They need help cataloging photos, documents, and growing their online presence. 

To start, you can use Samaritan Scout, a search engine that scans nonprofit websites across the country to connect people with volunteer opportunities. It requires no signups or donations. Use it to do some internet digging; know that premier search engines often skip these little organizational websites. 

When you find a historical society website, you may not immediately see any volunteer job descriptions, but that’s your invitation to step up and suggest your own ideas. Seize this chance to go beyond traditional volunteer roles and offer something truly innovative, like building an online archive or preserving primary sources.

Learn while you lead 

Volunteering isn’t just about service hours but about learning by doing. As you work with historians and local elders, you’ll absorb rich local knowledge and sharpen critical thinking skills. You’ll learn how to handle primary sources, evaluate fact from fiction, and become a true history detective. In an age when so much of our information is filtered through social media or unreliably edited platforms like Wikipedia, learning how to access and preserve REAL historical sources has never been more urgent. 

Plus, your work helps everyone—students, teachers, researchers, and community members—access local history in new, powerful ways. 

How to reach out and start 

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to kick off your project: 

Find your local historical society.
A quick Samaritan Scout or Internet search with your town or county + “historical society” could do the trick. Or check state-wide organizations like the Wisconsin Historical Society or the Minnesota Historical Society.

Send a short, friendly email.
Introduce yourself, say you’re a student interested in helping digitize materials or support their online presence, and ask if they’d be open to a quick chat.

For example: Hi! My name is [Your Name], and I’m a local high school student. I’m really interested in history and technology, and I was wondering if your historical society could use help with digitizing documents or making your resources more accessible online. I’d love to support your work while learning more about our community. Would you be open to a quick conversation?

Bring project ideas to the table.
Even if they aren’t sure how to use your help yet, you can suggest: 

• Scanning and organizing photos  
• Building or updating a website 
• Creating social media pages 
• Filming interviews with elders 
• Designing digital exhibits
  

Make it your own.
Your project could last a week or become a semester-long passion. You could bring in friends, pitch it to your school as a service-learning project, or even write a blog (or TikTok series!) about what you learn. 

Want to learn more? 

• Library of Congress Digital Collections – See examples of beautifully digitized archives
• Digital Public Library of America – Explore how organizations share local history online
• StoryCorps – Get inspired to record your own community’s oral history 

Make your mark on the past 

Preserving history isn’t just for scholars and museum curators—it’s for you. With your tech skills, curiosity, and passion, you can help unlock voices from the past, learn your town’s untold stories, and create something lasting for future generations. This is your chance to become part of history by making it accessible to everyone. 

So go on. Email that historical society. Open that dusty box. And start making history.