Published: May 18, 2007 10:11 am         

Children’s museum gets boost

Stillwater Children’s Museum received a donation earlier this month to help develop and expand the in-school “Museum Without Walls” program.

The ONEOK Foundation donated $5,000 to assist the local organization with expanding the outreach area of Museum Without Walls to schools within Stillwater and throughout Payne County.

Ruth Cavins, executive director of Stillwater Children’s Museum, said it is a positive step toward their mission.

“We’ve been working toward this dream for years and are very excited that Stillwater’s support for our program is growing rapidly,” Cavins said.

Thanks to contributions from grants and private donors, Museum Without Walls is offered to local and area schools free. Oklahoma Natural Gas — a division of ONEOK — donated $500 to the museum last year and ONG area manager Paul Vela would like to continue their support of the Stillwater Children’s Museum in the future. “We will do everything we can to continue our support of the Stillwater Children’s Museum in the upcoming years.”

Last fall, SCM launched the pilot program Museum Without Walls, an outreach program that was created specifically to bring the museum to the child. Next year’s Museum Without Walls series will include five programs providing hands-on, play-to-learn activities tailored to children preschool through 12th grade.

“Museum Without Walls takes educational, literacy and science-focused exhibits to area schools, preschools, childcare centers and community events in an effort to serve all children, but particularly those children who might not otherwise be able to visit a museum,” Cavins said.

The Stillwater Children’s Museum is a non-profit organization which plans to build a hands-on, interactive, science and entertainment venue in a permanent location specifically designed to serve children from birth to 14. The museum’s primary focus will be on the natural sciences as exhibits.

To learn more about the Stillwater Children’s Museum or if you would like to volunteer in their summer programs, contact Cavins at (405) 533-3333 or visit http://StillwaterChildrensMuseum.org.

To schedule an appointment with the SCM executive director, call Chasen Shaw at (405) 743-8303 or e-mail ChasenShaw@Yahoo.com.

     

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