Western Nebraska Community College students who are members of the Education Professions Club are celebrating Week of the Young Child by telling flannel board stories and reading story books to young children at Monument Mall on April 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Week of the Young Child is a national celebration honoring young children and all those who make a difference in children's lives. This year's theme is Early Years are Learning Years.
"I'm so pleased that WNCC is helping our community celebrate Week of the Young Child once again," said Linda Mattern-Ritts, WNCC's early childhood education program coordinator. "Through the avenue of play, children are learning math, social studies, language, and science - the same core academic subjects that are taught K-12. The preschool teacher's job is to set up a classroom environment for children to learn through their play. Our activity at Monument Mall this Saturday helps illustrate this important model of early childhood education."
Week of the Young Child (April 13-20), sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), is an opportunity for early childhood programs across the country, including childcare and Head Start programs, preschools and elementary schools, to hold activities to bring awareness to the needs of young children.
WNCC is an affiliate of NAEYC, the largest organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of early education programs for children birth through age eight. Founded in 1926, NAEYC has more than 80,000 members and a national network of over 300 local, state, and regional affiliates.