Rasmussen Reaches Out to Community During Week-Long Awareness Event

Many students balance one or more jobs with school and the demands of a young family, according to the school's early childhood education director, Cecelia Westby.

Which is why "Week of the Young Child"—a national awareness event focusing on the needs of young children and their families—is particularly poignant and applicable for the school and its students, Westby said.

Sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, "Week of the Young Child" was first established in 1971. The purpose of the week is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

This week, the school is marking the national celebration by reaching out to Eagan community members through a variety of avenues, including a community spaghetti dinner held on Tuesday night. Students from the Eagan campus also hosting book readings of "Feelings to Share from A to Z" at local childcare facilities and planted a "pinwheel garden" on campus to raise awareness regarding child abuse.

The theme of this year's "Week of the Young Child" celebration is "Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies."

Westby hopes Rasmussen's activities will help develop the connection between the college and Eagan—and promote positive connections between parents and their children.

“A lot of our students, they may be parents, they may work full time and go to school," Westby said. That's a lot of responsibility for anyone to carry, so again to support the needs of children and families is really critical to a family."