Children building with Legos at the Port O’Connor Library

STEM Activities and so much more at the POC Library

Recently more than 18 POC students and many of their parents spent Saturday morning at the POC Library building skyscrapers, moving machines and others structures from Legos©. Ordinary toys that just felt like play for the preschoolers to middle schoolers that enjoyed the morning’s activities, but was truly so much more. The truth is the Calhoun County Library sponsored event was a STEM Activity. STEM Learning Activities. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) create activities including biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, computer science, fun experiments, and web-based learning developed by educational experts to build problem solving skills, develop brain body connections and grow higher level thinking skills. Kindergarten through high school students think they are just playing, having fun with everyday resources. It is learning at its best. It is active, challenging, developmentally geared for each learner to benefit and maybe most importantly – fun! Fun! Fun! It seemed the parents and grownups had just as much fun as the kids, and many creations were quite impressive.

If you would like to know more about STEM Learning Activities and how to do them at home, there are dozens of online resources and websites. Much of the activities require few or no supplies and are easily accomplished. Research has shown that targeted STEM activities that concentrate on the four areas increase focus in struggling learners, add challenge and richness to uninterested learners and bring real value to the ongoing development of student focused learning and skills in thinking, problem solving and self-direction. If you and your little learner missed this activity, don’t worry, more are coming. In the meantime, look for more information at www.playdoughtoplato.com and stemactivitiesforkids.com.

The Calhoun County Library has a great Children’s Librarian in Kelley Ashley. On the job since just last summer, she is busy at the POC, Seadrift and Port Lavaca Library branches offering learning opportunities for children and their families daily. Kelley grew up in Texas and has called Calhoun County home for more than 20 years. She worked for Edward Jones for 13 years before being offered the chance to be Children’s Librarian last June. Her only child is approaching adulthood, studying premed at UTSA, and that left time for Kelley to pursue this position. She has put her heart and soul in to being the best at it she could be. Kelley says the job is a big challenge but lots of fun.

Children’s librarians do many different things including storytelling, book talks, school visits, managing children’s library materials, as well as all the details, paperwork, craft and construction duties, social media and other tasks that go into making the program successful. Kelly is creative and artistic and brings her flair to everything she does at all the branches she serves. Little ones Storytime is one of her favorites. This fun time spent with little learners each Wednesday morning includes reading and singing, crafts and games, learning ABC’s and building future library patrons and book lovers.

Kelley is currently making plans for the 2017 Summer Reading Program entitled Build A Better World. POC will have Kelley all to ourselves on Tuesdays at 10:30 am for our summer reading program beginning June 6th running through July 18th. Special activities, contests and prizes will make this summer reading program a special treat, and kids of all ages are welcome. Kelley works closely with the Friends of the Library and is so excited about their progress towards expansion of our POC Library. Friends of the Library will be one of the sponsors of the Summer Reading Program, but Kelley is looking for a few others. Monetary donations, snacks, prizes or supplies can be costly, but all make a difference for our hometown kids as they join in the better world building efforts. If you would like to contribute, please contact Kelley Ashley at the Calhoun County Library. 361-552-7323. The Library will also have free Saturday Flicks at the POC Library on June 10th and July 8th, so get out of the heat and enjoy a movie.

There is a calendar of activities and opportunities at our local library and many details are listed in The Dolphin Talk. Check it out and get involved. Also, check out Calhoun County Public Library on Facebook and Twitter @cclibrarytx.

Kelley Ashley
Calhoun County Library’s Children’s Librarian