This past Saturday, the joys of reading were on full display at the Y Swim Center in Randallstown where over 100 families gathered to be the first to experience the Storybook Maze. Created by librarian Araba Maze, who characterizes herself as "a radical street librarian working to increase book access and help eliminate book deserts,” the Storybook Maze provides children with a token that, by placing it into a vending machine, they can turn into a book of their choosing, rather than a stale, nutritionally dubious candy bar!
The children also got to enjoy an interactive puppet show with Symphony, a colorful clown brought to life thanks to Y associate Tracy Hall, whose day jobs are as a music teacher and Y water fitness instructor. Since no celebration of books would be complete without some storytelling, Araba Maze treated the kids to an interactive storytelling and dance session. Tawanda Ford, the Y Membership Sales Manager and unofficial mayor of the Y Swim Center in Randallstown noted that “the kids, parents and grandparents all participated joyfully with both the puppet show and storytelling!” Topping off the fun, children were also treated to refreshments with colorful cookies, a goody bag filled with Black history workbooks, school supplies, bookmarks, stickers, pencil cases, hand sanitizers and more.
This wonderful event aligns fully with the Y’s youth development strategy, which is grounded in the following core principles:
- Youth at the Y will be part of a positive supportive community that believes in them, encourages them to be their best selves in every way, and grows their confidence in their abilities.
- They will learn and have fun along the way.
- They will leave their Y experience feeling supported, more empathetic toward others, better connected with their families and community, better equipped to be good citizens as they grow, and better prepared to achieve the next step in their development.
Special thanks to Tawanda for pouring every ounce of her energy into this terrific event and to our generous sponsor Wellpoint, which underwrote the entire event. As an avid reader who struggles to get his kids off their phones and their noses into books, I applaud Tawanda, Wellpoint and this event in every conceivable way!
All the best,
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland