Lake Stevens Celebrates "Tails and Trails":
Celebration launches the new Born Learning
Trail at Lundeen Park on Aug. 8

July 23, 2009

Learning happens everywhere a child goes, but parents, grandparents
and caregivers may not always know how to support that learning.

That won’t be the case in Lake Stevens. Now, when parents and
caregivers take a young child to Lundeen Park, they’ll be able to play fun games together that also provide strong early learning experiences for school readiness. That’s because a Born Learning Trail being created
by community volunteers will help parents, grandparents and caregivers turn excursions to the park into fun learning moments for children birth to five years old.

The new Born Learning Trail opens August 8 with a community “Tales
and Trails” party at 10:30 a.m. at Lundeen Park, 10020 Lundeen Park Way. Come enjoy hotdogs, songs, puppetry and juggling as Lake Stevens celebrates the new Born Learning Trail and the first anniversary of the
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. Family entertainer Linda Severt performs at 10:45 a.m., followed by guided tours of the Trail, prize drawings and free books for children to take home.

It’s all good fun—and good learning, say the community sponsors behind Imagination Library and the new Born Learning Trail.

“In Washington state, 56% of children enter kindergarten not ready to learn, according to teachers,” said Katrina Ondracek, director of public policy and community initiatives for United Way of Snohomish County. “For low-income families, that jumps to 75%. Research tells us that what happens in a child’s early years is critically important for success in life and school.”

More than 750 children ages birth to five in the Lake Stevens area are also receiving a free book once a month, mailed directly to their home, as part of the Imagination Library program to promote literacy and family interaction. The “Tales and Trails” celebration marks the first anniversary of the program in Lake Stevens. New families will also be able to sign up for the free book program at the celebration.

“The Born Learning Trail and Imagination Library boost language and literacy development by turning fun, every day moments into learning moments for infants, toddlers and preschoolers,” said Leslie Elsemore, chair of Academic Beginnings for Children.

“Tales and Trails” partners include: Academic Beginnings for Children, Lake Stevens Education Foundation, Friends of Lake Stevens Library, Rotary Club of Lake Stevens/Granite Falls, Lakes Stevens Lions Club, Lakes Stevens Kiwanis Club, City of Lake Stevens, Sno-Isle Libraries, and United Way of Snohomish County.

For more information, contact United Way’s Katrina Ondracek at katrina.ondracek@uwsc.org.

July 23, 2009

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