Photos: State Rep. Kathleen Clyde Visits Longcoy School for Government Day

During her workday Thursday, State Rep. Kathleen Clyde of Kent ate a healthy lunch at an extremely low table, read a children’s storybook and did the chicken dance.

It wasn’t a crazy day at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, but Government Day at the Portage Learning Centers’ Kent Longcoy Center.

Head Start students there prepared well for Clyde’s visit. Under the direction of Natatia Peterson, site supervisor/family advocate, and teachers Nashay Kendrick and Morgan Granc, the children decorated their classroom with patriotic-themed craft projects.

The three- to five-year-old students were decked out in red, white and blue clothing, and star-shaped tater tots were part of their healthy lunch menu.

Clyde sat with the children for lunch, munching on salad while learning about the Head Start center through one-on-one discussions with each employee there.

After lunch, clean-up time and tooth-brushing time, the kids went through some quick lessons involving colors, shapes, A-B-Cs and 1-2-3s. Then, a teacher turned on a spirited version of the chicken dance song.

At first the 68th Ohio House District representative just watched, but she couldn’t resist the kids’ enthusiasm. By the end of the song, Clyde was laughing while going through the chicken dance movements with the kids.

Then it was time for Clyde to explain to the children what she does for a living. “I go to Columbus every week and we consider ways to change the laws. Hopefully, to make it better in Kent,” she said.

Clyde’s explanation of the types of issues she works on – ones “that affect kids, roads and trains” – was interrupted by various children trying to tell her about their personal experiences with such issues as trains.

Peterson said lessons leading up to Government Day included explanations of patriotism and laws. “We equate laws to rules at school … we make it basic and easy to understand,” she said.

Clyde closed the pre-school Q&A session – her first ever – by telling the children, “I care a lot about you guys and feel lucky to represent Kent.”

Storytime had students seated on the floor around Clyde as she read Barack Obama’s book, “Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to my Daughters.” According to the School Library Journal, “the 44th president introduces 13 American icons and heroes as exemplars of personal virtues” in the book.

Erin Smolko, a Portage Learning Centers outreach education specialist, said Government Day was created to increase awareness of the Head Start program in Portage County by introducing it to government officials.

Sixteen government officials participated in morning and afternoon program sessions held Thursday at six different Head Start sites across the county.

Portage Learning Centers is currently serving 290 economically disadvantaged children in its Head Start program and 85 children in its Early Head Start program, which is designed for children from birth to age three.