The Child care center in an effort to familiarize students with the campus decided on august 23 to hold a “Welcome back walk” for the children of some Skyline Students.

16 Child care center students were given the opportunity to walk around Skyline to feel more at ease and get some exercise while their parents were in class.

“It was a beautiful day so we decided to make today be our “Welcome back to school walk” so that they can get familiar with the campus where their parents go to school,” Said Martina Center, a teacher at the Child care center. “They can see that they’re not that far away from their parents.”

The walk began at around 10:15 and the children got the chance to walk through the campus, including the quad and outside of the newly opened building 4. The children were instructed to hold hands at all times so that they wouldn’t get lost.

At one point during the event the group stopped at the quad where Club Rush was taking place, some children even danced to music that was provided at the event.

One of the main reasons for the walk was to show students how close their parents were in an attempt to make them feel safe and secure.

“For this age group it’s good for them to know that they are safe where they’re at and their parents are not too far away,” Said Center. “In case something were to happen or that their parents can come and visit them during the day.”

This could be seen throughout the walk when various children would stop and point at buildings followed by them saying “That’s where my mommy works.”

One little girl for example by the name of Daliah liked the idea of going to see where her mother works while she’s away.

“[Today was] Good because I like my mom,” Said Daliah. “And she likes me, but…I worry about her.”

Center herself is no stranger to how it feels to be a mother working to get her education.

“I’m a product of Skyline College,” Said Center. “So I feel as though it’s good for us to give back to our community. I was a teen parent so I know when I came to Skyline College I needed child care. A lot of our families are young and low income so I feel as though it’s great to give their children a place to come so that they can continue their education.”

The other main reason for the “Welcome walk” was to get the children some exercise. This was accomplished by letting them run around the grass behind Building 4 and letting them roll down the grassy hills.

“Physical development is healthy for them, it’s very important, they enjoy the outside [and] the nice day,” Said head teacher Nataliya Gamburg. “They can move around a lot…we don’t really have a nice playground, it has a lot of cement so it’s nice for the kids to play on the grass”

One child by the name of Ani found the nice change of scenery to be enjoyable saying “We like playing…I like rolling down the grassy hill.”

According to Gamburg doing these welcome walks have always been good for the children on so many levels whether it be for reassurance, exercise, or the fact that walking in a College environment is good for them.

This could be seen at one point during the walk when she took a child by the hand, pointed at one of Skyline’s buildings and said, “If you work hard enough you can work there too.”