The Shawnee State University Children’s Learning Center, in conjunction with the National Association for the Education of Young Children, presents the Week of the Young Child children’s fair from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Thursday, April 22 in the gymnasium of the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center on the campus of Shawnee State University in Portsmouth.

“Young Children’s Opportunities . . . Our Responsibilities,” will feature 375 children from the SSU Children’s Learning Center, Scioto County Cooperative Preschools, Scioto County Head Starts, Scioto County Even Starts, and Portsmouth City Preschool participating in various events. In addition to help received from participating programs, students and staff members from the SSU Department of Teacher Education will assist.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the nation's largest and most influential organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of programs for children from birth through third grade.

The SSU Children’s Learning Center has celebrated NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child for four years. The Week of the Young Child focuses on recognizing that children's opportunities are everyone’s responsibility. The national celebration is designed to promote the opportunity of ensuring that every child experiences the type of early environment--at home, at child care, at school, and in the community--that will promote their early learning.

For the CLC, the Week of the Young Child is a week of events: Scholastic Book Fair all week with proceeds going toward purchasing books for the CLC library; photo exhibit in the UC all week titled “My Work is Play;” art gallery exhibit all week at the CLC; ice cream social and visit from state superintendent of public instruction, Dr. Susan Tave Zelman on Tuesday; volunteer ice cream social on Wednesday (80+ volunteers to be recognized); and Children’s Fair on Thursday.

Participating academic departments offering volunteers include SSU Occupational Therapy Department, SSU Nursing Department, SSU Department of Teacher Education, and Ohio University Southern’s Early Childhood Department.

Local, regional, and statewide media outlets are invited to attend. For more information about the event, for assistance in setting up a photo or video shoot, or to arrange interviews with those involved in the organization of this event, please contact the SSU Office of Communications at (740) 351-3810 or via e-mail at thapney@shawnee.edu.