POTSDAM -- St Lawrence University students Bryan Bohaty and Zach Estes are supporting literacy and language skills at Potsdam Building Blocks Day Care. For the fourth year in a row, students from St. Lawrence University’s Community Based Learning program are supporting local organizations.

“We love having the volunteers come into the classroom,” says lead preschool teacher Bridget LaPage. “It’s a win-win situation. We get an extra pair of hands to help out and the SLU students meet course requirements.” Director, Marlene Pickering, says the students not only offer an extra set of hands in the classroom, but also help out in other ways.

“This year the students are helping put together literacy bags for take home activities for families using stories like The Kissing Hand as well as putting together materials and supplies to be used in the classroom to support literacy based learning.”

Pickering says the extra pair of hands does make a difference.

“Members of the Education Team appreciate it when the students put together materials. It’s challenging for the teaching staff to find time to put together the materials for word walls or make games when they are busy with the children. Zach and Bryan are just two of the students being mentored by Alexandra Vining this have this semester. We have several students who are enrolled in a Children’s Literature class as well as students enrolled in other course work. What better a place to learn about children’s literature than at a daycare center.”