When asked what a docent is, high school senior and Bellevue Arts Museum docent Celia Chung offers a short answer: “It’s a tour guide.”

But being a docent involves much more than that as Chung, a student at Bellevue High School, learned during her specialized eight-month training program at the Bellevue Arts Museum (BAM) in the field of arts and crafts. BAM docents are required to develop a show thesis using specific pieces, language and vocabulary to support the interpretation.

“Then you can begin leading public and private tours,” said Chung. “The ultimate goal is to encourage and moderate the opinion of others.”

Fellow docent and high school junior Sarah Bonebright agrees, “You can’t lecture, or you’ll lose people. You need to draw them out, involving their emotions and reactions.”

Chung and Bonebright are among eight teens active in the BAM’s docent program. Twenty-five-year docent veteran Barbara Vynne re-launched the young docent program in 2006.

“Our teen docents always exceed our expectations,” said Vynne. “They develop great speaking skills, bringing a fresh experience to the art. They stand their ground with independent opinions, but learn to understand, discuss and mediate differences of opinion.”

Suzanne Peery is a seasoned docent who has trained young recruits.

“It’s the perfect place for teens with an interest in art,” Peery said. “I’ve always been impressed with them – they’re adaptive to engaging with the public.”

Peery points out some of the exhibits have political underpinnings. Weaving together art, public opinion and personal differences in interpretive discussion is complicated.

Bonebright was emotionally drawn toward an exhibition of woven photographs by a Vietnam refugee – someone scarred by a war that ended 18 years before Bonebright was born.

“This artist had an identity issue, being Vietnamese in America, but wanting to honor his heritage,” Bonebright said. “He expressed his conflict through the art, and I was able to see his perspective.”

Now in her third year as a docent with the museum, Bonebright is an enthusiastic advocate for the program.

“This isn’t a conventional community service opportunity. You help the museum reach out, especially to younger visitors,” she said. “Plus, the docents are warm, wonderful people who have a passion for sharing art.”

Philip de Sa e Silva, teen docent, echoes Bonebright’s comments.

“The adult docents are welcoming and I learned a lot from the other students. It’s a great chance to learn, lead and have a lot of independence,” said de Sa e Silva.

Bellevue Arts Museum is enrolling interested teens for the fall docent program.

“We are recruiting now, and expect a full class,” said Vynne.

The 2007-2008 teen docent class includes: Philip de Sa e Silva, International School; Edward Jiang, International Community School; Joanne Yae, Cedar Park Christian; Sarah Bonebright, Issaquah; Celia Chung, Dorris Guo, Jenny Nam, Samantha Storz, Bellevue High.

Marianne Berg Heywood is a free lance writer living in Bellevue.