Valley Stream kids learn the value of community

A community is made up of many people and places. And a local organization is on a mission to educate children about the people and places that make up Valley Stream.

Envision Valley Stream, a non-profit community visioning organization, hosts a program at the Henry Waldinger Library called Community Explorers. The program is led by Envision members Sarah Lincoln and Casey Meaney, and meets one Saturday morning each month.

The program begins with a story each session. One of the Envision members will read a book about community to children. The book then gets donated to the library.

After the story, children participate in an activity. In October, which was Fire Prevention Month, kids made a paper firefighter. One month, they used milk cartons and construction paper to make a model of their house. And last month, children colored in a short story book about different places in the community, including the library, playground and stores.

“They usually leave smiling,” Lincoln said about the children who attend Community Explorers. She added that they usually get between 7 and 10 kids each month, but they can accommodate up to 20. The program is open to children through second grade.

Meaney and Lincoln, the co-directors of education and volunteer opportunities for Envision Valley Stream, are both teachers and wanted to create a program for children. Lincoln said it is never too early to teach kids about their community, so they have an awareness of where they live.

“We think it’s really important because kids can get their parents involved,” Lincoln said, “and kids will grow up and want to be involved.”

She said the library was a perfect venue for the program because so many children visit it, and the library is an important part of every community.

Darlene Kashimawo would agree with that. She brings her 3-year-old daughter, Annabelle, to many programs at the library including Community Explorers. “I like that she learns about what’s in the community,” Kashimawo said, adding that her daughter also likes activities where she can color, draw and be creative.

David Sabatino, president and founder of Envision Valley Stream, said he wants children to learn that they can have a voice and an active role in their community. “For me,” he said, “as a kid growing up, I never realized how many things were going on.”

The next Community Explorers program will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 11 a.m.