Children’s Learning Program at Austin College this Saturday

SHERMAN, TEXAS | January 16, 2015

Area children are invited to participate in Austin College’s

’Roo Bound program Saturday, January 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. After a free lunch on campus, the afternoon learning session will focus on prairie ecosystems. The program is free and open to all children in kindergarten through 8th grade.

Participants should be dropped off at the Wright Campus Center main entrance off Brockett Street, and parents must sign students in at that time. The event is sponsored by the Austin College Service Station.

Austin College student volunteers work with the children to provide a fun learning experience. They will look at some of the plants that grow even in the dreary winter weather. The children will decorate pots, which they will take home with them. Children will be provided lunch in the Austin College.

Advance registration is not required, but is appreciated. For more information or to reserve a spot for the program, contact the Austin College Service Station at 903.813.2333 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays or email servicestation@austincollege.edu.

Students will have lunch in the Austin College dining hall in Wright Campus Center, courtesy of the Service Station and Aramark Food Service.

In addition to the special learning opportunity for children, ’Roo Bound, coordinated by the Austin College Service Station but involving many students across campus, is designed to expose children to the idea of college in a safe, fun environment. The organizers hope that the program makes college attendance (at any college, not just Austin College) seem accessible to children, particularly those who might be the first in their families to consider college.

’Roo Bound events are scheduled each month at Austin College.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.