WESTFIELD – Westfield State University will host its annual Take Your Kids to Work Day for kids aged 8-12 on Wednesday, April 22 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The event is sponsored by the university’s Department of Human Resources and is an employee benefit. The event has been a Westfield State tradition for the past 20 years and for the past nine, has been single-handedly organized by Human Resources Assistant Holly Robbins.
Take Your Kids to Work Day is designed to educate girls and boys, ages 8-12, about their future career possibilities, get a glimpse of college life, and give them a sense of what the adults in their lives do during the day. The program will give parents an opportunity to demonstrate the importance and challenges of integrating work and family. All events are free of charge. Parents are welcome to attend events with their children.
A full day of activities starts at 8 a.m. in the Scanlon Hall Loughman Living Room with breakfast and check-in, followed by a welcome by Interim President Elizabeth Preston at 8:30 a.m.
From 9:05-10:15 a.m., children will talk and interact with Westfield State Campus Safety Officer Sean Coughlin, and City of Westfield police officer Chris Coach about public safety and the nature of police work. Children will be able to try on bulletproof vests, sit in a police car, and learn about police canines from MAKO, the crime-fighting dog.
Parents had the chance to sign their children up for one of four events that will occur from 10:15 a.m. to noon that are intended to engage the students in a variety of different experiences around the campus.
The first event is “Getting to Know You” in the Scanlon Banquet Hall, Room B. Taught by Holly Robbins and Westfield State student Rebecca DiVico ’15, kids will be given the chance to create their own pieces of artwork. The children will be able to decorate wearable items as a way to express themselves through art.
The second event is “3-D Computer Imaging,” taught by Professors Frank Giuliano and Karsten Theis. Kids will gain a hands-on experience creating 3-D images on a new form of computer technology.
The third event “Take Me Out to the Ball Games” takes place at the Woodward Center Field House and is taught by the assistant to the athletic director Vijay Saxena and graduate assistant Erica Griff. This activity will encourage kids to become more active through playing various sports such as basketball, football, and soccer and provide insights into what it takes to be a good sports coach.
The last morning event is “Career Cartooning” taught by cartoonist, Westfield State professor, and College for Kids instructor Bill Greaney, in the Loughman Living Room. Children participating in this event will learn how to draw and create cartoon characters and learn about the history of the Looney Toons, and how they can someday make a living as a cartoonist.
Lunch will be provided from noon to 1 p.m. in the Dining Commons. Parents will meet with up with their children and have lunch with together.
Following lunch, the children will break up into two groups and enjoy free swim, the opportunity to learn about emergency preparedness, the Liquid Galaxy or go back stage in the Ely Theatre to get a sneak peek at the upcoming performance, and get a snack at the Dunkin Donuts in Ely Campus Center before meeting up with parents at 4 p.m.
The day will end with a tour of the campus’s Barnes and Noble Bookstore where kids will have the opportunity to pick out a gift.
“We want to instill a little bit of a foundation for their future, give them careers to think about, and inspire them to come back to Westfield State,” said Robbins. “By allowing these kids to come and take part in these activities, we’re giving them a first-hand experience and showing them that these jobs are possible. We hope to inspire these children to follow their dreams.”
For more information regarding the event, please contact Holly Robbins at [email protected].
