Third Annual Kids Zone at Historic Columbia’s Jubilee Festival
Columbia,SC—-On September 21, The Links, Incorporated Columbia (SC) Chapter proudly hosted the third annual Kids Zone as part of the Jubilee Festival. The event, organized in collaboration with Historic Columbia, drew hundreds of children and their families to celebrate culture, history, and education in an engaging and fun-filled atmosphere.
Along with the Columbia Chapter’s READ READ READ program, at two elementary schools-Burton Pack and Carver Lyon , the Kids Zone was a perfect fit for our programmatic thrust. One of the highlights of the Kids Zone was the Read Read Read Zone, which promoted literacy by distributing free books to children. This initiative was made possible through generous donations from Scholastic Books and a partnership with Richland School District One. Children eagerly participated, walking away with new books to add to their collections.
The Kids Zone also featured interactive and educational activities. The Riverbanks Zoo offered an exciting animal encounter for children, while the City of Columbia Ice Cream Truck provided sweet treats for festival attendees. Families were delighted to meet the beloved PBS Kids mascot, Smart Cat, who brought smiles to children’s faces throughout the day.
STEM activities were also a focal point, with hands-on sessions presented by the SC Afterschool Alliance and the SC Center for Assistive Technology. The USC Center for Civil Rights History provided educational materials and programs, emphasizing the importance of civil rights education.
Entertainment was ever-present, with the Carver Lyon cheerleaders opening the Kids Zone with robust cheers that encouraged children to read, DJ Roy Neptune spinning family-friendly tunes throughout the day, creating a lively atmosphere during Kids Zone stage breaks. Serving as the event’s emcee, Jordyn Lewis, Miss Columbia 2024, kept the crowd engaged and energized, making sure the event ran smoothly.
The third annual Kids Zone was a huge success, continuing the Columbia Chapter’s commitment to enriching the lives of children and families through education, culture, and community service. ###
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other people of African ancestry.
