Queequeg's Coffin, by Jerry Beck, 1988. Photo by Mark Ste. Rose

My name is Mark Ste. Rose. I am a second year high school apprentice here at the NB Whaling Museum.  The first semester ended greatly…working with the staff members on projects and events, watching the new apprentices take pride in the program. My first semester began with helping Greg Galer with a project on installing a new exhibit.  I also have been working on a major project that involves the Dutch and British exhibit which involves me using Re:Discovery to find the new catalog numbers for each item in the Dutch and British exhibit and making a Power Point with the pictures, new catalog , the made dates, and the authors.  

I helped to install an exhibit called Imaging Moby. It’s a collection of modern art inspired by Moby Dick. These objects were donated by Elizabeth Schultz. My favorite object in this exhibit is the Queequeg’s Coffin.

Original Johnny Cake Hill entrance.

Hey,  I’m back again for round two with the New Bedford Whaling Museum. I was so excited to be able to come back and be with the whaling museum crew. This year only five of the apprentices out of the twelve from last year came back. I have met all the new apprentices that Bob hired and they are all cool neat people. I can’t wait for them to crack out of their shells and be more comfortable with each other. I’m happy this program has been so successful and is reaching out to more teens in the New Bedford area. There also were a  few changes in this year’s program. The returning apprentices will be asked to help work in different departments that help run the Museum. I’m still debating on who I want to work with. I will soon be back to inform you on any more updates! Talk to you soon:)

Abolition Tooth, from 1840s-1850s.

This is my first ever blog post, written right here at The Whaling Museum.  So far as an apprentice I am excited to be here and this year I think is going to be a good one. Some of the activities we have done have are meeting with a few of the employees here at the museum as well as guest speakers, who introduced themselves and taught us about things such as Paul Cuffe, underground railroad, and Portuguese impact on whaling.  So far as an apprentice here I have have a good experience and hope to continue having a good experience.   I look forward to becoming an expert on whaling, New Bedford, and how the two have intertwined over the course of time.

Gustin Froias

Whaling off Flores, by Manuel Madruga.

My first few weeks have been great! I’ve learned so much about all the galleries. My peers are very fun to be around. We’ve met with many different important people who taught us various aspects that have to do with whaling. I’ve learned a lot about Paul Cuffe, which I knew nothing about prior to this, which is mind boggling since he did so much here in New Bedford. I’m so glad I got chosen to be a part of this program and I can’t wait to see what else I will learn!

Raven Medeiros-Neves

Compass used by Paul Cuffe.

Working at the Whaling Museum is a unique experience that I am very grateful to be a part of. My first day was very interesting considering it was AHA! night, and I didn’t really know anyone. Every time we learn something new about the museum and about New Bedford, I am very surprised, because never would I have thought that this little city would hold so much history. It is also fun working with the other apprentices because everyone gets al0ng very well. What I found the most interesting about the museum was the “Paul Cuffe’s Kitchen” exhibit because there are floorboards from his actual home in the exhibit, and also his pipe and compass. I am excited about what else is coming our way!

Sharmaine Flint

Former Custodian, David Pierce, with walrus tusks in the Whaling Museum's recently opened Wood Building, approx, 1940

On the second week, all of us apprentices went on an outside and inside scavenger hunt. I learned a lot that day. There were so many things that I didn’t know about the museum until then. It was fun because we walked all around the Museum searching for answers to the questions.  That experience helped me a lot on getting to know  the museum better. That was definitely a great way to learn stuff about the museum. Before this experience I couldn’t tell people a lot about the whaling museum. But now I can actually talk about it and answer some questions. It’s great being an apprentice at the Whaling Museum, because there’s a lot of teens who would love to have this opportunity.

Erica Andrade

Resurrection of Henry 'Box' Brown, from The Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, [LC-USZC4–4659

Amber Martin

ODHS logo, painted by Clement Nye Swift

Working at the Whaling Museum has been very interesting and different, in a good way. I’m one of the 7 new apprentices, and I’ve learned so much in the past few weeks about the city of New Bedford as well as whaling, that I have never known before. For instance, I never knew that New Bedford was once called Old Dartmouth. I enjoy the work environment and those who I work with. I’m hoping that this work experience will be fun and well-learned.

- Vanessa Alves

Back row: Carlos, John, Amber, Sharmaine, Gustin, Mark, Alfredo, Science Director Robert Rocha. Front row: Vanessa, Raven, Peightyn, Erica, Melanie

The Museum’s apprentices were formally welcomed on Tuesday, October 25 by Museum staff, Trustees and volunteers, apprentice family members, representatives of New Bedford Public Schools, City Councillor Steve Martins and Mayor Scott Lang.  Five of our apprentices, John Antunes, Melanie DeJesus, Peightyn Riley, Mark Ste. Rose and Carlos Velazquez are returning for their second year with us. They are working directly with Museum staff.  Our seven new apprentices, Vanessa Alves, Erica Andrade, Sharmaine Flint, Gustin Froias, Amber Martin, Raven Medeiros-Neves and Alfredo Parilla have started their training and behind-the-scenes immersion as to how our museum operates.

Nine of these students attend New Bedford High School; three of them attend Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School. Our new apprentices were chosen from a pool of 52 applicants. We’re very happy to have them as part of our team.

Activity in New Bedford, 1988. Drawing by David Blanchette. From Museum collection, #1996.16

Hey, the program is coming closer and closer to ending!  My experience here is unexplainable; I enjoyed every minute of it. Luckily I’m coming back next year, but not everyone is. The apprentice program taught me so much. I have achieved a lot of goals I wanted to accomplish; such as communicating with the public, and learning team player skills. The program is a good way for teens to learn about the whaling history and how historic New Bedford is. I still have trouble giving tours because of all the information, but by next year I should have everything down pat!