About 2,000 people turned out for the 15th annual Kids’ Discover festival at North Platte Community College’s South Campus on Saturday. This year the theme was “The Berenstain Bears.”
The event was sponsored by The North Platte Telegraph, NPCC and Bible Supplies. It was designed specifically for children – to give them a chance to try a variety of fun and hands-on educational activities.
Much of its success was due to the many volunteers who dedicated their time and energy to making sure participants’ needs and desires were met.
As for the college’s role, NPCC custodial and maintenance staff spent days preparing equipment and power for the numerous displays and booths on campus.
On Friday, second-year building construction students created a mock grocery store inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium where children could purchase candy with fake money.
On the day of the event, stations were set up throughout the gym, inside the Health and Science Center and on surrounding lawns and parking lots.
In one area, members of the Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team taught kids how to rope, while in another location, the MPCC Transporation Division, led by Bryan Herrick, MPCC automotive technology instructor, provided visitors with an up-close look at stock cars.
Inside the McDonald-Belton Building, the Theater Department presented a series of impromptu skits every half hour. Dick Thurin’s basketball team provided concessions, and NPCC’s knight mascot wandered the halls.
The Health and Science Center was the site of Kids College, intended to introduce youth to some of the many professions the college provides training for.
“Kids College is a great opportunity for career exploration,” said Chuck Salestrom, MPCC area associate vice president of public information, marketing and development. “Who knows what seeds we’re planting by offering this?”
Upon entering the Health and Science Center, kids were given a checklist of classrooms to visit. Those included physics, dental assisting, math, information technology and nursing.
Children learned how to build paper airplanes and helicopters and blow through a straw to levitate a ping pong ball in physics.
In dental assisting, they practiced tooth brushing on mannequins and stuffed animals, then were given necklaces that double as containers to put their own teeth in when they fall out – that way the tooth fairy can find the teeth easier under pillows.
Kids played educational games in the math and information technology classrooms and received nursing caps to take home from the nursing station. Nursing students and staff also taught children proper handwashing techniques, how to listen to their hearts with a stethoscope and how to check their oxygen levels.
When the kids left each station, they were given a star to mark off the activity on their checklist. After the checklist was filled, the kids dressed in a graduation caps and gowns and had their photos taken with a certificate acknowledging they completed Kids College.
Volunteers from NPCC’s Gay Straight Alliance and Dik Haneline’s art classes took the photos of the kids, who posed alongside Dr. Jody Tomanek, area vice-president of academic affairs and NPCC and Kristi Salestrom, area director of student success and retention.
“I can’t think of a better partner than the college for Kids’ Discover,” said Dee Klein, director of sales for the Telegraph. “MPCC does so much to help us, and we have such a good relationship with the college. It’s the perfect facility and the perfect people to work with.”
It was the first time Sara Oberg, of Farnam, had been to Kids’ Discover. She read about it in the Telegraph.
“I thought it would be a fun activity for our kids to do,” said Oberg. “They were super excited about seeing the Berenstain Bears. They’re big fans of them.”
Luis Contreras was one of the visitors from the farthest away. He and his twins had traveled all the way from Minneapolis, Minn.
“We were visiting some people in North Platte already,” said Contreras. “I thought this [Kids’ Discover] would be a good opportunity for the kids to be exposed to community events.”
Jax Foster, 3, could hardly contain his excitement over the activities and bounced from booth to booth in the gym.
“This is the third year we’ve been here, and he loves it more every time,” said Andrea Foster, Jax’s mom. “We didn’t have far to travel. We’re from Hershey. We love doing fun kids activities, so this is perfect for us.”