[L e f t t o Ri g h t] Ly n n G r i f f i n, Ra n dy a n d Gai l B l a n t o n (pa r e n t s o f B e n ji B l a n t o n), Dav e S c h m o t z e r a n d D r. Ro b e r t W yat t
Five Coker College education majors were given the assignment of planning a project that advocated for a child-related cause in the fall of 2010. The students, Amber Phillips, Jessica Baipho, Jessica Sims, Kim Morris and Jessi Ingle, chose to be advocates for play. They chose play because of the importance they feel it plays in learning during early childhood education.
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COKER STUDENTS RAISE MONEY AND AWARENESS FOR PLAY IN SCHOOLS
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FACULTY/STAFF SERVE “LATE NIGHT BREAKFAST”
As part of the project, the students raised money to donate to a local Hartsville elementary school to buy playground equipment. The group sold t-shirts to raise the money, and in October they presented Washington Street Elementary School with a check for $717. In order to further their project, the school graciously matched their donation. In addition to raising awareness of the importance of play within the Hartsville community, the students raised awareness throughout the state of South Carolina when they were asked to present on the advocacy project at the South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children Conference in Columbia. Under the direction of Coker Professor of Education Dr. Darlene Maxwell, the students presented their project entitled, “Why Play?” Their presentation and project explored the inherent benefits of play and how and why it addresses the most essential needs of young children. Coker College is also a major advocate for play. Each year the Coker Education Department hosts “Play Day” to promote the importance of play and to honor young children and those who nurture them. This year’s “Play Day” will be held on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the Bell Tower Lawn.
At the close of the fall semester, students once again prepared for that most daunting of tasks, taking final exams. In order to help the students at Coker prepare for the pending all-nighters, the faculty and staff of the College gathered together to host a time-honored tradition at Coker, “Late Night Breakfast.” The first “Late Night Breakfast” was held 30 year ago and is a chance for the faculty and staff to give the students a much needed study break on the night before exams begin. This year more than 20 faculty and staff members were on hand to prepare and serve food for nearly 240 students. We would like to thank all of the faculty and staff that volunteered their time and effort to make this a great night of food and fun for the students at Coker.
THE OFFICIA L M AG A ZINE OF COKER COLLEGE, H A RT S VILLE, S .C .
COMMENTA RY
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