Thank you to Randolph County School Counselors for organizing the local “Screen Time Awareness Week” activities in Elkins.  The goal of this event was to encourage students to spend more time with their families doing activities that do not include cell phones, computers, or televisions.  It was delightful to host school children and their parents or grandparents visiting Kump Education Center.

Counselors are aware of the changes that screens make in the social behavior of children. Adults use screens more frequently now to keep kids occupied and to teach academic subjects in school. Children spend more of their free time playing digital games, watching TV shows, and texting each other.

When people do not interact with each other in person, they often fail to think about how their words or behaviors may be misunderstood.  This sort of detachment seems to give rise to contentious or thoughtless behaviors. The practice of polite behavior and meaningful conversation is slipping out of social interactions because there is less personal contact time.

“Screen Time Awareness Week” was intended to be a time when adults and children would go out to do things together without using screens.  Kump Education Center was open three of the five days for afterschool activities Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Several people volunteered to make these cold March days more fun for kids.

This is our opportunity to thank the many local people who made it possible for us to offer a variety of activities young families could enjoy at the 100-year-old Kump House.

First, we want to thank Councilwoman Nanci Bross-Fregonara who has worked tirelessly on interpreting the human history and natural science that can be learned at Kump Education Center. She composed both the indoor historic design “Scavenger Hunt” and outdoor guide for the “Arboretum Tree Walk.”  She is also the organizer for our popular Wednesday evening Tree Talks.  On April Fools’ Day at 7pm don’t miss “Exploring Woods with Wonder: Multi-Generational Ways to Share the Outdoors.”  All our Tree Talks are in the Learning Lab at Kump Center near the garage door.

Next, we need to thank Dr. Jim Van Gundy for his remarkable rock collection that families visited in the hall next to our Learning Lab. They could see large crystals, gemstones, geodes, pyrite and other rock formations of beautiful blues, golds, greens, lavenders, pinks and yellows. Also, we have boxes of numbered rock that students can learn to identify thanks to Dr. Van Gundy’s careful organization.

Finally, our amazing volunteers have been wonderful tour guides. Mary Smakula practiced her Master Naturalist skills by leading the Arboretum Tours — even in rain and sleet.

Kelsi Wilson-Hott a Davis & Elkins College Education Intern created an activity to teach the history of the Great Depression when Eleanor Roosevelt visited Governor Kump in Elkins. Kump Center Education Board of Directors Member Laura Santmyer and her sister Paula Kadyk helped with the house tours. Our tutoring staff support included Sara Gladwell, Denis Hass, and Jeannie Johnson.