When it comes to innovation, inspiration, knowledge and the drive to make our world a better place, it all begins in kindergarten. It’s where youngsters gain their first exposure to the wider world beyond their day-to-day existence. It’s where they begin to dream of what their future lives may be like — but not necessarily how they will get there.
But programs like the “Walk Into My Future” event held Sept. 26 at IU Kokomo seek to change that mindset by inviting more than 1,000 kindergarteners from throughout Howard County to take part in a day full of educational events such learning to count to 10 in Spanish, playing with robots, working with chemicals to make silly putty or taking a simulated airplane tour of Australia.
As the kiddos arrived on campus, they were greeted with high-fives by IU Kokomo students, staff and faculty before moving to various work stations. In partnership with United Way of Howard County, the Kokomo Family YMCA and Community foundation of Howard County, IU Kokomo hosted the event with the objective of increasing educational attainment throughout north central Indiana. If successful, such efforts can help improve the region’s quality-of-life and overall economy.
“It’s important to plant the seed really early that college is an important option for everyone,” IU Kokomo Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke said. “Many of our children don’t have family who went to college, so nobody is having that conversation at home. This is a wonderful opportunity to see a college, feel what it is like, and then go home and talk to their parents about it.”
Read more about the event here.
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