Students from the Honors College at Pittsburg State University are hosting a morning of screen-free activities for children ages 5-7 in Pittsburg. This event, which will run from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 26, is part of the students’ semester-long project and serves as their final exam.
Zoie Prothe, a Graphic Communication major from Paola, explained, “It’s all about creative play, where kids can enjoy hands-on activities that promote problem-solving, teamwork, and imaginative thinking. Our goal is to offer a solution to a community need, giving children a chance to connect with their peers without technology.”
The event will feature activities such as building “spaghetti towers,” playing board games, and participating in structured outdoor play.
Prothe added, “The kids will be fully engaged in an experience that encourages connection and fun, free from the distractions of digital devices.”
The students working on this project include Eli Winter, a Nursing major from Clearwater, Oklahoma; Adam Jonnes, a Biology (Pre-Med) major from Baxter Springs; Michael Karguth, a Biology (Pre-Med) major from Baxter Springs; Adison Randall, a Finance & Accounting major from Mound City; Olivia Wobken, a Biology major from Carl Junction, Missouri; and Landry George, a Nursing major from Pleasanton, Kansas.
The students have collaborated with community and campus partners, including the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center at Greenbush, Sunshine Childcare, and Pitsco Education. They have also received support from faculty and staff across various departments to help with age-appropriate activities, parental waivers, snacks, and volunteer recruitment.
Karguth shared, “It’s been a valuable learning experience. There’s a lot that goes into organizing an event like this.”
Associate Professor Phillip Frank, from the Kelce College of Business, explained that the class was tasked with addressing a social issue affecting youth in Pittsburg and developing a plan to help mitigate that issue for their final project.
“The students have gone above and beyond the course requirements,” Frank said.
He, along with the students, hopes this event will serve as a model for future activities, with plans for more events to come.
