Projects/Goals
Week of the Young Child Children’s Art Show 2011
This year, for the first time, Smart Start-Centre County welcomed the public to an opening reception for our annual Children’s Art Show at the State College Municipal Building in celebration of the Week of the Young Child. Many of the young artists visited with their parents to proudly show their work. Honey Baked Ham and *ndulge cupcakes generously donated food for the reception, as did several Smart Start leaders and volunteers. "I enjoyed volunteering at this event. The children’s art work was amazing, and it was so nice to see parents, children, and professionals enjoy themselves together," Penn State volunteer Chelsea Marson commented in our guest book.
Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration created by the National Association for the Education of Young Children in 1971 to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.
This year's Art Show featured artwork selected by each participating early childhood program. Children's and teachers' creativity was apparent from the wide diversity of artistic media on display, including woodworking, watercolor painting, collage, and much more.
Many years ago, members of the Centre County Association for the Education of Young Children took children’s artwork to local businesses for display during the Week of the Young Child. CCAEYC did not last, but the Art Show did. For almost ten years, the Show has been held at the State College Municipal Building. Each year, more early childhood programs have participated by submitting artwork. Staff from Penn State’s Bennett Family Center and Child Development Laboratory collect and display the artwork each year.
This year's participating programs: Abba's House; Bellefonte PreK Counts; Bennett Family Center; Cen-Clear Head Start at Bellefonte Elementary; Child Development Laboratory; Discovery Child Development Center; Easter Seals of Central PA; The Goddard School; Kidz Rainbow Center; Park Forest Day Nursery; Pine Glen School; Port Matilda Elementary PreK Counts; Rebersburg PreK Counts; Saint Andrew’s Preschool; State College Friends School; State College Head Start; Wingate Head Start & PreK Counts