Teens United for McLean County

March 17, 2010 By Lance Thurman

Teens United for McLean County, a  student volunteer program run by United Way of McLean County, will be holding a 5K running race for free family event on Saturday, April 24, 2010 to launch the new Born Learning Trail at Tipton Park in Bloomington.

Teens United for McLean County is composed of 18 students from nine local high schools including Bloomington, Central Catholic, Heyworth, LeRoy, Lexington, Normal Community, Normal West, Olympia, and U-High.  The students partnered with the City of Bloomington to install a Born Learning Trail at Tipton Park this spring.  The Trail is a concrete path with nine learning activity signs that provide fun, easy activities for parents and children to enjoy together.  The race and event are being held to promote the importance of early childhood education and introduce the Born Learning Trail to the community.

Race check in starts at 8:00 a.m. at the Tipton Park Pavillion and the race starts at 9:00 a.m.  Race registration forms are available online at www.uwaymc.org/News&Events and www.lakerunclub.org/AreaRace.  The registration fee is $12.00 for all entries received before April 1, 2010 and $15.00 for entries received after April 1.

The opening ceremonies for the family event will start at 10:00 a.m. after the race awards are distributed.  Everyone is invited to take a stroll along the Trail and enjoy the fun family-friendly activities.  The U-High Band will play from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m., followed by a magic show put on by the Olympia High School Science Club.  Singing ensembles from Bloomington High School will perform between 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Children will receive a Passport to Learning when they enter the Trail that will be stamped at each activity sign.  When the Passport is complete, the stamps will spell EDUCATION.  The children can take their completed Passports to the Pavilion to receive a free book.  There will also be a tattoo station and LIVE UNITED balloons for the children.  Parents can also pick up Born Learning early childhood education materials in the Pavilion.