'Week of the Young Child' promotes peace

By Lailani Upham

Mary Driscoll, SKC D'Arcy McNickle Library librarian, reads a story to a group of pre-school age children from the SKC Day Care last week. The library hosted children from the CSKT Head Start classes and the SKC Day Care in tours and readings for the annual "Week of the Young Child" event. (Lailani Upham photo)

PABLO — Salish Kootenai College was the meeting spot for oodles of young children to tour and hear a story or browse through a book of their choice for the annual “The Week of the Young Child” celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

The annual event now in its 40th year, was held April 10 - 16. It is a national campaign focusing on the needs of young children and their families.

According to the NAEYC, the organization is dedicated to improving the well-being of young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services from birth through age 8.

Several of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Head Start classes and SKC Day Care classes joined in holding hands around the front lawn of the library as a “peace” image, according to SKC Day Care Director Mary McEvoy.

“The Week of the Young Child” is a celebration for children, promoting literacy, and this year’s theme was peace. When you are holding hands, you are not fighting, but at peace.” McEvoy said.

According to Mary Driscoll, SKC librarian circulations said, “The library wanted to share this theme with children, and we invited the Pablo Head Start and the SKC childcare to come to the library to hold hands.”

NAEYC first established the Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years play a key part in laying the foundation for child’s success in school and later life.

The Week of the Young Child is designed to promote awareness to communities around the nation to better meet the needs of all young children and families.

SKC Day Care hosted a “Book Bash” with a dinner, games and prizes that was open to families with young children last week at the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center. It was their fourth year holding the literary event, says McEvoy. “It is a week set aside to honor children and their families.”