College to Celebrate Week of the Young Child with Special Events

March 31, 2023

Hudson Valley Community College will host a series of special events and activities during the Week of the Young Child, April 1-7. This is an annual celebration created by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world's largest early childhood education association. The purpose of the celebration is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families, and to promote the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

Teachers, students, parents, and those who are interested in the field of education are invited to attend any of the following events:

Education Job Fair
Monday, April 3, 1-3 p.m., Siek Campus Center, First Floor Lobby
Representatives from local early childcare centers and schools will be on campus sharing information about their sites. All interested students and the greater community are welcome and encouraged to attend. This event is coordinated by the Center for Careers and Transfer. Contact (518) 629-7326 for additional information.

Lecture: Weaving Creativity and Creative Thought Throughout the Curriculum
Monday, April 3, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Higbee Hall, Room 108
Hudson Valley Community College Professor Christine Saxe will present strategies to weave creativity and creative thought throughout the curriculum. She’ll discuss different types of creative modalities and ideas for making classrooms a place of wonder and discovery.

Lecture: From Poverty to Sustainability: Building Lives, Leaders and Communities, a collaboration with Voices, a Library Lecture Series
Tuesday, April 4, 1-1:50 p.m., Bulmer Telecommunications Center Auditorium
Based on his 33 years of experience working with homeless and underserved men, women and children, Michael Saccocio, executive director/CEO of City Mission of Schenectady, will discuss strategies for converting divisive social situations into partnerships that create opportunities and build community. In addition, he will share stories of how purpose-driven individuals can use their adverse life experiences to inspire others to build better futures for themselves and their families.

Lecture: Understanding Children's Sensory Needs for Success in the Classroom
Wednesday, April 5, 1-2 p.m., Higbee Hall, Room 101
Noelle Saxe, an occupational therapy student who has worked with children in her latest clinical rotation in Jacksonville, Florida, will discuss what an occupational therapist does to help children learn and share ideas for how to implement these strategies in the classroom.

Lecture: Helping Children Handle Grief
Thursday, April 6, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Higbee Hall, Room 101
Hudson Valley Community College Professor Carla Gleason will discuss the difficult topic of handling death and dying and the grief process with young children, evaluating and explaining current research and practices.

Attendees are encouraged to bring new or gently used children’s books to any event for the Education Club Children’s Book Drive. Donation boxes will also be located in Higbee Hall, Room 100 and in front of the Student Activities Office in the Siek Campus Center, Room 210, from April 3-17. Donations are beneficial to local schools and childcare centers.

In addition to these events, the Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation Atrium in the Marvin Library Learning Commons currently features a whimsical mural created by Christina Parnell, library senior clerk, in recognition of the Week of the Young Child. The mural features artfully arranged handprints and footprints from children at the Viking Child Care Center. Books and other materials from the Dwight Marvin Library are also available to view, including titles from the library’s Children’s Literature collection housed on the first floor; many Caldecott Award-winning titles are featured in the book display.

Hudson Valley offers several degree and certificate programs for those pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education, including:

• Early Childhood A.A.S.
• Early Childhood Administration A.A.S.
• Early Childhood Administration Certificate
• Teaching Assistant Certificate

NAEYC first established the Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life. The Week of the Young Child is a time to plan how we—as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation—will better meet the needs of all young children and their families.

For more information regarding events or programs related to the Week of the Young Child, contact the Department of Education and Social Sciences at (518) 629-7250.