Spokane’s Discovery Junction Provides Safe Learning Spot

On October 21, the sun rose on a new day offering opportunity for up to twelve children that attend Garfield Elementary in Spokane, Washington. Spokane Central Church’s STEAM Ahead @ Discovery Junction, an afterschool enrichment program offering activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and math for low-income children, has temporarily closed because of COVID. Team members Gayle Haeger and Sharon Ammon and others who have faithfully provided time and resources for this outreach changed the emphasis as Discovery Junction provides real-time learning support — a safe place for eight children to connect to WIFI as they attend online school each morning.

BethAnn Moseanko will head up this 5-day-a-week program (8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) so vital to children’s education until the COVID risk lowers and the public school reopens. Without this assist, these children could potentially lose a full year of school. Discovery Junction considers it a privilege and opportunity for churches to change the life of neighborhood children!

Pivoting to this new ministry, an additional need became evident — the children were hungry. So yes, now children enjoy breakfast each morning as well.

Any church can provide a service such as this. All this is needed is: (1) a safe place (2) two screened caring volunteers each day (3) WIFI. The Spokane public school provides the IPAD and earphones, the educational programming, communicates with families, and works out transportation. 

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children
in My name welcomes Me . . .” Marks 9:36 NIV