If you ask children what they want to be when they’re older, you’re bound to get one answer again and again: superhero.
It’s the dream job for any bright-eyed kid to fly around fighting crime and saving the world.
As far as we know, super powers like those seen in comic books don’t exist, but Schlow Library is showing kids that there are other ways to be a hero.
“Our summer program is all about superheroes and being extraordinary,” children’s librarian Paula Bannon says. “We were talking to the kids and they were all excited about superheroes because they’re so cool, but they always thought they don’t have super powers and they can’t do anything.”
That sparked the idea to put on an event called Every Kid Can Be a Hero, which the library held on Thursday afternoon. Children cycled through stations, each showing them a different way to be a hero. At one station, the Centre County Grange Fair Queen was showing kids how to plant seeds for honey bees to pollinate.
“My son really liked planting the seeds,” says Qianxue Liu. “I found about the event from their program calendar. I wanted my kids to take part in some more activities during the summer so I came here. I think it was interesting.”
State College native Emily Allegar is this year’s queen, and she spent her Thursday afternoon educating kids on the importance of honey bees. The grange fair emphasizes agriculture, so Allegar saw an opportunity to empower children and teach them an important lesson at the same time.
“We’re having the kids be heroes by using toilet paper rolls and dabbing glue on it to put some seeds that attract honey bees,” she says. “They have instructions on how to plant them when they get home, so we send them on their way to help feed the bees. Even the White House is trying to help the bee population. People don’t understand the importance of pollinating.”
The event also featured a knitting table where children learned how to make warm clothing like hats or scarves for people in need, using just a pair of needles and a ball of yarn. Another table had kids making cards thanking first responders, and another taught them how to recycle.
“We’re showing them that they can be heroes and help the bees, help recycle, or make warm things by knitting,” Bannon says. “Even the littlest kids can make cards to thank those who keep our community safe.”
For Liu, bringing her son to the library has become a regular occurrence, especially during the summer when there’s more time to fill. Whether it be for an event like Every Kid Can Be a Hero or just to crack open a book, she makes a point to come out to the library whenever she can.
“I take my kids here several times a week,” Liu says. “The library just has a lot of good books and toys for the kids to play with. They love it here.”
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