WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – Right now, kids are still enjoying Christmas break and, with the blizzard behind them, families were able to “lego” their shovels and pick up something else.
At Case Middle School in Watertown, students in kindergarten through the 12th grade were given free rein over more than a dozen LEGO sets.
“I really like working on LEGOs. I just came here. My mom asked if I wanted to come here and I said yes. So now I’m here,” said student Henry Tross.
“You don’t have to build what you’re supposed to. You can really build anything out of them,” said student Charlotte Stadler.
Although kids were the event’s main priority, a large emphasis was placed on family.
“So we’re building Legos but we’re also building community,” said Betsy Hennessey, event organizer.
Organizers say they hope to increase engagement from parents and guardians
“The more events that we can do and the more that we can get their families in here, the more successful we will be,” said Hennessey.
One of those parents was Watertown City Engineer Mike Delaney. During the event, he spoke to kids about how their interests may shape their career paths.
“This gives an opportunity in a somewhat unstructured environment to grow in the direction you want to go,” he said.
The event wasn’t all fun and games. Event organizers say playing with Legos can help kids develop certain creative skills that will open a lot of doors for them later in life.
“I think it prepares you to have a diverse opportunity in multiple fields,” said Delaney.
Those LEGO sets will stay in use. Starting after the new year, they’ll be used by a number of student clubs.
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