South Point – Music, games and education will be the focus of this year’s Week of the Young Child – today through Friday.

Monday, April 10, 2000

South Point – Music, games and education will be the focus of this year’s Week of the Young Child – today through Friday. Lawrence County Early Childhood Center officials are happy to announce they will once again host a week of activities celebrating Lawrence County youths, said Linda Sechrist, center director.

"We want the children to be celebrated and to emphasize how important it is to make the early year’s count," Mrs. Sechrist said.

This year’s theme is "Early Childhood: Where Our Future Begins," Mrs. Sechrist said.

"We also are emphasizing how literacy is important," she said. "It’s important for a child to be read to."

An Ohio Youth Action Council member, 17-year-old Emily Douglas, will be at the center today and Tuesday to distribute free books to parents so they can take a more active role in the reading education of their children, Mrs. Sechrist said.

Miss Douglas is the founder and director of Grandma’s Gifts, a non-profit organization that has provided $125,650 in food, clothing, toys, books and educational experiences to needy children of Appalachian Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

"We’re also having a food drive this week," Mrs. Sechrist said.

The collection of non-perishable food items will teach the children a valuable lesson – the importance of sharing with the less fortunate, she said.

"We feel it’s important to reach out to the community," Mrs. Sechrist said. "Part of what we train the children is to think of others who are in need."

The food will be given to the Central Christian Church food pantry. Donations will be accepted all week. And they also will serve as the price of admission to the different activities.

Events at this year’s Week of the Young Child include:

– A Craft Day today.

Parents are invited to build bird houses with their child, Mrs. Sechrist said. Construction will take place from 10 a.m. to noon.

Also today Moms and Dads are welcome to take a free book home to read to their child.

– A musical performance Tuesday.

Kathy Seager will perform her Kindermusick program from noon to 2 p.m.

Kindermusik is designed to nurture the total, unique development of each child through innovative music and movement curricula and to involve families in the joy of their children’s musical learning.

"Kindermusik is for children birth to age 5," Mrs. Sechrist said. "Parents are encouraged to attend."

Books also will be given away Tuesday.

– A Puppet Show Wednesday.

Collins Career Center students will put on a Puppet Show that’s sure to delight a child of any age from 9 a.m. to noon.

The school also will have a luncheon for the Ronald McDonald House Charities Board, which purchased new playground equipment for the center this year. The luncheon is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

– An Open House Thursday.

The community is invited to come and check out the many child-related agencies in the county at the Open House, which is from 10 a.m. to noon, Mrs. Sechrist said.

"Thursday is probably the whole highlight of the week," she said.

Not only will there be about 30 local agencies represented at the Open House, but there also will be a carnival, giveaways and activities for the children, Mrs. Sechrist said.

Also this week, artwork from various county schoolchildren will be displayed throughout the area.

Burlington Elementary students’ artwork will be at the Chesapeake Branch of the Briggs Lawrence County Public Library; South Point Elementary and Head Start students’ artwork at South Point Branch of the Lawrence County Public Library; Rock Hill elementaries 1, 2 and 4, Lawrence County Early Childhood Center Head Start and Early Intervention, and Ironton City Schools preschool disabilities and preschool students’ artwork at the Ironton Branch of the Briggs Lawrence County Public Library and the Ironton City Center; Rock Hill Elementary No. 1 students’ artwork at the Pedro Post Office; Getaway Head Start students’ artwork at the Coal Grove Giovanni’s; and Lawrence County Early Childhood Center Head Start and Preschool at the center.