Kindergartners Explore College and Careers at Annual KinderCaminata
Nearly 2,000 kindergartners visited Fullerton College on Friday, April 28 for the 22nd annual KinderCaminata. The event, which focuses on instilling the importance of a good education and exposing children to various career options, featured more than 40 lively demonstrations and hands-on learning experiences for children and their families to explore.
More than 70 kindergarten classes from Anaheim City, Fullerton, and La Habra City school districts participated in this year’s event. “The response we’ve had from the partnering school districts, as well as Fullerton College faculty, staff, and students has been enormous,” said KinderCaminata Coordinator Karen Vernon. “It’s a great testament to the power of building communities that encourage our youth to pursue higher education.”
The annual event has achieved its mission the last 22 years by adopting Cesar Chavez’s “Si Se Puede” (Yes you can; it is possible) motto. In many cases, KinderCaminata provides an opportunity for children to step onto a college campus for the first time. “Our goal is to inspire children at the beginning of their education,” Vernon said. “We want them to visualize themselves in the Fullerton College students who will be volunteering and interacting with them throughout the event.”
In addition to the event, children participated in a week of classroom lessons and activities to learn about Cesar Chavez and what his motto can mean for them. The event also provided children and their families with an opportunity to learn more about the differences between K-12 education, colleges and universities.
Guest speakers at the event included Fullerton College President Greg Schulz and Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva of the 65th Assembly District. Quirk-Silva attended Fullerton’s public schools from K-12, Fullerton College, Cal State Fullerton, and holds a passion for education and public service.
This year’s event had the support of nearly 350 faculty, staff, and student volunteers assisting at more than 40 career stations set up across the Fullerton College campus, in the main quad, classrooms, labs, and athletic fields. The event ran from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information visit http://socsci.fullcoll.edu/kindercaminata.
