American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte immerses kids in world of stamps
With nearly 32,000 members in more than 100 countries, the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte is a premier destination for stamp collectors — seasoned and newcomers.
Youth stamp programs at the center aim at those newcomers, and at keeping the hobby alive and well for future generations.
Lynn Ralston became involved with the Youth Stamp Club in January 2013 after her grandson became interested in her stamp collecting hobby. One weekday when school was closed for meetings, Ralston brought him to the philatelic library to look for information on stamps they had and could not identify the issuing country.
“I thought we would be here for maybe two hours, but five hours later we were still here and he was looking through a large storage tub full of stamps and placing some in an envelope given to him by the education department,” Ralston said. “He thought it was a day off from school but he learned so much that day we decided to join the Junior Stamp Club, and I became an adult member of the APS. Shortly thereafter I began to do volunteer work here and my grandson joined me after school on some Tuesdays.”
Ralston works part time preparing lessons for Youth Stamp Collectors of America, the center’s online club that meets the first Sunday of each month at 7 p.m.. She is also the coordinator for the Stamps Teach program, which provides free philatelic materials and teaching aides to teachers of grades three to five, and she also assists the local APS Youth Stamp Club by planning activities and feeding the interests of the members. The club meets at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month from October through May.
“All we ask in return is that teachers and students provide us with feedback,” she said. “We also hope that the program sparks a stamp collecting interest in the kids. I learned so very much from stamps over the years while having a lot of fun.”
The American Philatelic Center, located at 100 Match Factory Place, is home to the American Philatelic Society and American Philatelic Research Library. The APS is the largest nonprofit organization for stamp collectors in the world. Founded in 1886, the APS serves collectors, educators, postal historians and the general public by providing a wide variety of programs and services.
The Young Stamp Collectors of America is a division of the American Philatelic Society that was created to promote the hobby to young stamp collectors on the Internet. All members receive an e-newsletter, sent quarterly and filled with articles, how-to’s, collecting basics, activities, stamp offers and more. They can participate in online monthly meetings where they can chat with fellow members from many areas of the United States.
Two live meetings are held annually at APS stamp shows. YSCA members can also go online, log in and view special messages, archives of past e-newsletters, collecting tips and more. And pen pal services provide YSCA members an opportunity to become friends with other members in the United States or the world. They can trade stamps, trade covers, or just write to learn more about someone else’s stamp collecting interests.
The Youth Stamp Club functions similarly to a one-room school house, accepting members from kindergarten to 12th grade. Ralston talks to parents about the positive recreational and educational experiences associated with stamp collecting, and she also shares what she has done with her own grandson and ways to engage in the hobby together.
“The clubs are a great time for youth, whether here in person or online,” she said. “Some youth members correspond with me and I send them things they like, and parents have given me very positive feedback. In fact, the mother of one new member of the online club contacted me the next morning to thank me and tell me that her son ‘had a blast’ at the online meeting.”
The basic mission of the Youth Stamp Club is to interest kids in collecting stamps — a hobby that is likely to remain with them for life. It is one to share with their kids and one to share now with their parents and grandparents.
“I hope that the membership will be so large that we need additional helpers,” Ralston said. “As I look around I see fewer and fewer young people involved in local organizations. What will become of them if youth are uninterested? As with all of our community clubs and organizations, the youth are our future.”
This story was originally published November 6, 2015 at 7:48 PM with the headline "American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte immerses kids in world of stamps ."