The parking lots surrounding the Moorpark College Child Development Center filled quickly on Saturday after parents lined up with their children and paid the small entry fee to enjoy several hours of discovery and adventure.
But there weren’t only children who attended the event. Kim Young, a Moorpark College alumni who majored in child development, also attended the event. She is currently employed by the Conejo Valley Unified School District.
“It was such a great program,” said Young. “I’m here to look for new ideas to implement into my own school curriculum.”
“Discovery Day,” which was held on April 2 at the CDC facility at MC, is a semi-annual fundraiser. Parents and staff hosted the affair, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Hundreds of children participated in all kinds of play imaginable, while adults observed and supervised. Proceeds from entry fees, the silent auction and the book fair will enhance the facility’s purpose to enrich the children’s developmental journey.
According to CDC Director, Cynthia Sheaks-McGowan, the Center is partially funded by the MC, but the majority of the funds are from parent fees who are members of the program along with their children. She greeted the visitors personally at the entry.
“We use today’s fundraising to promote children’s activities at the center,” said Sheaks-McGowan. “It pays for the Yoga program that we offer the children and special materials that we have in the classroom.”
Children streamed out into the patio areas where they could dig for a “golden” stone in the sandbox, built a fort with giant wooden blocks, experiment with dough, construct and launch a styrofoam ship, among a multitude of several other activities, each having a little section of its own.
When the young children needed a time to relax, they could sit on soft cushions in the gazebo and listen to story reader, Batool Hussein, a 21-year-old environmental science major, who keeps her options open to becoming a teacher. Hussein voluntarily signed up for this job and selected books that were neither too big nor too long.
“I especially picked books I remember from childhood,” said Hussein. “I love books and like to share them.”
On the balcony, 2-year-old Noah concentrated on his sculpture made of playdough. His mother, Brittney Cardona, a 21-year-old child development major, supervised him and the other kids as well. Noah is enrolled in the CDC program, while Cardona is completing her degree. It’s a win-win situation for both of them.
“He’s so attached to me, but when we are here he’s free,” said Cardona. “Noah loves it. He likes to meet new friends and play with everyone.”
In addition to the play areas, one room offered a book fair and another a silent auction, where the adults bid on fancy baskets filled with items to suit children or adult tastes, costume jewelry, services from beauty parlors or lessons in horseback riding and exercise classes among others.
Administrative Assistant, Claudia Stewart, explained that “Discovery Day” has been taken place for many years.
“There have been donations from the communities all over the county. We have our regular donors and each year we get new ones,” said Stewart. “In addition, parents from the classrooms have been making donations for the food sales like snacks and drinks and Chronic Tacos, a local eatery, is doing our food.”
Many children and parents took the opportunity to satisfy their physical need after a few hard hours of play in the patio area.
The Child Development Center offers quality care for toddlers and preschoolers of Moorpark College students, staff, faculty, and the community. It provides a lab school for Moorpark students majoring in child development. Additional information can be obtained at www.moorparkcollege.edu/cdc
