Instead of day care, many Erie parents have chosen to send their young children to College for Kids at Penn State Erie this summer. College for Kids is an eight-week summer program offering a variety of morning and afternoon sessions that change weekly. The program ends Aug. 13.
The program originated in 1993 as a benefit for the children enrolled in the Child Care Center at Penn State Erie. Classes are divided into four age groups: 6-7; 8-9; 10-11; and 12 and up, with each catering to the attention span and interests of the group. All of the classes take place on campus and are taught by faculty and area professionals.
For one class, Edwin Masteller, professor emeritus of biology at Penn State Erie, took the children out for a bug hunt. After a short, informative session in the classroom, participants in "Bugs, Butterflies and Other Mini Beasts of Nature" hit the great outdoors to collect, observe and care for live creepy crawlies. The children became familiar with where the bugs live and what they eat.
Masteller and his class put several of their live specimens in a screen house for observation and growth. At the end of the week, some of the children were able to take the insects home with them to continue to watch and learn about the wonders of nature.
The sessions run from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. Supervised care also is available for early morning drop-off and late afternoon pick-up. Children attending both morning and afternoon sessions enjoy a supervised brown-bag lunch period free of charge.
For more information, call Beth Nagy, College for Kids coordinator, at (814) 898-6422.