Explore & More is happy to participate again in the United Way’s Spring It On program. This 24-hour, community-wide fundraising event will help raise funds for a variety of free admission opportunities for families and small groups at Explore & More. Visit our Spring It On page here from 8:00am March 24th through 8:00am March 25th to support our campaign!
WHAT A DAY WE HAD! Check out all the fun that happened June 5th during the Citywide Day of Play at Touch-A-Truck. We can’t wait for next year, June 11, 2017!
Thanks to our generous event sponsors:
![[BN] Nowhwre but TBN](https://exploreandmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/BN-Nowhwre-but-TBN-500x219.jpg)
What a week we had celebrating the Lunar New Year over the February break! Each day children tasted dumplings, cookies, and green tea, created a Lunar New Year themed craft, practiced writing Chinese characters, and had their name written in Chinese. Throughout the week children created dragon puppets, clay pottery, and Beijing Opera Masks in our workshop room. On the exhibit floor, children created and decorated paper lanterns in the art room and made wishes on our Lam Tsuen wishing tree.
Our busiest day was Friday, when we welcomed The Red Dragon School of Martial Arts to perform the Lion Dance in the gym. Children were encouraged to participate in the dance by taking turns trying on a small size lion head and moving around with the performers. Thank you to our generous friends at M&T Bank for sponsoring our activities during this family fun week!
This fall, Explore & More launched a Junior Docent pilot program. This innovative community initiative welcomes high school teens ages 14-18 to Explore & More through a series of trainings focused on the importance of volunteerism and multi-cultural sensitivity. Our partnership with International Prep High School of Buffalo has afforded eight high school seniors the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills through volunteering at Explore & More events.
Explore & More highlights cultural diversity through our interactive exhibits, which has now become the foundation of our Junior Docent workshop training series. Our International Prep Docents receive 3-hour, bi-weekly trainings that promote positive cross-cultural relationships, race/ethnicity, disability, religion, nationality, and other social identities. The Docents then exercise their new skills through volunteering at Explore & More community events.
This past December, our Junior Docents lead families from Buffalo’s West Side in our Graham Cracker House Building event at The Niagara Branch Library. In February, Junior Docents made their way out to the museum and spent a full day co-facilitating activities during our Lunar New Year celebration. We very much look forward to the performance presentation they are currently developing for our March Travel the World Around Buffalo Week!
This four-month pilot program focuses on exposing students to the importance of fostering service values, and celebrating the beauty of diversity. Junior Docents who successfully complete our pilot program will receive 25 community service hours toward their high school graduation requirements and a letter of reference for their leadership and dedication to volunteerism.
-April Baskin
April Baskin is an AmeriCorps VISTA Member and the Junior Docent Program Coordinator Explore & More Children’s Museum.
February is Friendship Month at Explore & More, and that means there’s a SWEET Deal for you and a friend! Bring a friend in and both sign up for memberships between now and February 14, and you’ll both receive $10 off your membership!
Already a member? You’ll be receiving an email with a $10 off coupon to share with a friend.
Sign up today! This SWEET deal expires February 14th!
