Students in kindergarten through fifth grade at McKinley Elementary School will make some new friends this week.
Approximately 50 University of Toledo undergraduate students in the Exploratory Studies Program are taking part in a Halloween event Friday, Oct. 30, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at McKinley Elementary.
These UT students have been working for weeks to plan and organize the service-learning event.
“Our students are making a real difference in our community,” said Dr. Julie Fischer-Kinney, interim YouCollege dean and assistant provost for student success and retention. “Through experiential learning events, students are learning the importance of giving back to their community, strengthening their leadership and interpersonal skills, and gaining a sense of confidence and pride not only in our campus community, but our greater community.”
The UT students, dressed in Rocket gear or Halloween costumes, will help McKinley students enjoy carnival-style game, activities and crafts while teaching them the importance of a college education.
“This is a chance to not only give back to the greater Toledo community, but to also build some leadership skills among our students,” said UT Success Coach Marissa Reid, who is helping the college students operate the event.
The Exploratory Studies Program students have had some help; offices in Rocket Hall participated in a building-wide candy drive for treats to pass out at the event, and vans provided by UT’s Center for International Studies and Programs will transport the college students to McKinley for the afternoon. Mascots Rocky and Rocksy are slated to make an appearance at the event as well.
“[The kids] can’t wait to interact with college students,” said John Korenowsky, principal of McKinley Elementary. “They’re heroes to the children. They’re full of questions about college life, and they want to hear more about what it takes to be a Rocket one day.”
For more information, contact Reid at 419.349.7485 or Korenowsky at 419.671.3750 or jkorenow@tps.org.
