Volunteer With Us
Want to help inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, explorers, and problem-solvers? There’s a place for you at Challenger Learning Center of Maine.
Volunteering at Challenger isn’t just about wearing a flight suit and pretending you’re in Mission Control (although we’re certainly not going to stop you).
We need people with all kinds of skills, interests, and availability to help keep our programs, events, and facility running. You might spend an evening helping at a STEM event, get your hands dirty in the garden, help organize supplies, or put your professional skills to work behind the scenes.
Whether you have a few hours to spare or want to become a regular part of the Challenger crew, there are plenty of ways to get involved.
Help at Public Events
Our public events are a great way to jump into the action without making a long-term commitment.
Volunteers might help with things like:
Greeting guests and helping at the sign-in table
Assisting at activity stations
Helping with photo opportunities
Setting up or breaking down
Pitching in wherever an extra set of hands is needed
For example, our upcoming Family STEM Night on December 11th will need volunteers for the sign-in table, photo-op station, and general event assistance.
As new public events are scheduled, we'll have additional opportunities to help.
Want to volunteer at an event?
Sign up through our Heart of Maine United Way volunteer portal to see current opportunities.
Bring Your STEM Skills
Do you have a particular STEM skill, hobby, or area of expertise you'd enjoy sharing?
We may have opportunities to help us run hands-on programs involving drones, LEGO, rockets, coding, and other STEM activities.
You don't necessarily need to be an expert. If you're enthusiastic about STEM and interested in helping students explore it, we'd love to hear from you.
Share Your Professional Expertise
Sometimes the best way to support STEM education has nothing to do with STEM.
We're looking for people who can share their professional experience and expertise with Challenger. For example, we're currently looking for someone with CPA or financial experience who would be interested in serving on our Finance Committee and working closely with our leadership team.
Have a professional skill that you think could help? Let us know. We may have a place for it.
Help With Special Fundraisers
Some volunteer opportunities are a little more... hands-on.
Our annual Challenger Learning Center of Maine Spud Drive is a perfect example.
On November 20th , volunteers will help unload 50-pound boxes of Maine potatoes from a box truck and load them into customers' vehicles.
It's not exactly Mission Control, but somebody has to get those potatoes from Point A to Point B!
One-Time, Occasional, or Ongoing
You don't need to make a year-long commitment to volunteer with us.
Some opportunities are one-time events or projects, while others can become recurring volunteer roles. Some might take a couple of hours; others might involve becoming a regular part of the Challenger crew.
We'll do our best to match opportunities with your interests, skills, and availability.
Help Us Grow
We're also looking for volunteers interested in helping with our outdoor spaces and landscaping.
That could include:
Advising on landscaping and plant selections
Helping with spring installation projects
Weeding and maintaining the garden throughout the summer
If you have a green thumb, or simply don't mind getting your hands dirty.
We'd love to have you aboard!
Help Keep Challenger Ready for Launch
There is always something to do behind the scenes.
If you like checking things off a list and leaving a place better than you found it, we have opportunities for you.
Volunteer projects can include:
Cleaning
Because our customers are mostly kids, things have a tendency to get… well, kidified. Help keep our spaces clean, welcoming, and ready for the next crew of future astronauts.
Maintenance
Not everything at Challenger runs on rocket science. Sometimes a sign needs fixing, something needs tightening, or a minor repair needs a little attention. If you're handy, we can probably find something for you to tinker with.
Organization
If you enjoy turning “Where did we put that?” into “Ah, there it is!” this one’s for you. Help us sort, straighten, label, and organize the behind-the-scenes stuff that keeps Challenger running smoothly.
These may not sound like the most glamorous jobs in the universe, but they're important. A well-organized, well-maintained Challenger makes it possible for our team to focus on the students and families we serve.
Want to Volunteer at an Event?
If you're interested in helping at one of our public events, visit our volunteer portal through Heart of Maine United Way to see current opportunities and sign up.
Interested in Other Ways to Help?
If you'd like to help with STEM programs, maintenance, organization, landscaping, professional skills, or something else entirely, we'd love to hear from you.
Tell us a little about yourself, what you're interested in, and how you'd like to help. We'll see where your skills can fit into the mission.
There's a lot that goes into keeping Challenger ready for its next mission, and we could use another set of hands.
Come be part of the crew.