With school set to start and young minds ready to learn, the Fraser River Discovery Centre is bracing itself for thousands of school kids to file through its doors.

But there's just one problem.

The newly renovated centre needs volunteers to help guide those school tours.

Interpretive education volunteers have been the backbone of many of the FRDC programs and the centre now needs more because it has expanded both the facility and the programs it offers.

Educating students about the environment, ecology, culture and industry of the Fraser River is at the heart of the centre, said Shannon King, education coordinator.

By teaching children about the diverse watershed, the FRDC encourages students to care about the Fraser River and gives them the tools to protect the basin and its resources, she said.

“Interpretive volunteers, called docents, are critical to the success of our programs because they allow for smaller group sizes during school visits. Docents also bring diverse life experiences and teaching styles to our programs which in turn enrich the experience for students," said King.

Anyone can be a docent and it does not require any special background or experience. The only qualifications are an interest in working with children, a desire to learn about the Fraser River and a morning or afternoon to give to the centre.

The Discovery Centre is offering four school programs in the fall on Thursdays and Fridays. Each program includes a number of hands-on stations to teach about the Fraser River.

The FRDC will be holding a series of training sessions throughout September, starting Saturday Sept. 12 at noon. New volunteers will be introduced to the Discovery Centre, its exhibits and school programs. Interested people are asked to contact Shannon King at 604-521-8401 or education@fraserrivediscovery.org before Sept. 10.

For more information on volunteering go online to www.fraserriverdiscovery.org.

mmcquillan@newwestnewsleader.com