The National Kids Construction Club (NKCC) is back! NKCC will be at booth 53 during PhilConex 2001 in Fort Washington, PA, and teaching children about its industrial legacy. “While children are being taught to be computer-savvy and street-smart, the gap is growing in the area of practical skills,” said Nancie Balun-Boughton, founder and president, NKCC. “The NKCC provides kids with ’Cool Tools,’ and these tools include the ability to cultivate an appreciation for the industrial arts and to care about our industrial legacy.”

This year the club will be bringing its signature yellow and black banner plus some new activities for young and old. On Tuesday, Feb. 20 and Wednesday, Feb. 21, look for 8-year-old Alex, the club’s honorary president, as he will be giving as many people as possible a big yellow and black NKCC sticker.

Attendees also will have the chance to win a big bucket of toys by correctly guessing the number of building stones in the jar, courtesy of Tilcon, the quarry experts. And new for this year, large building bricks, cardboard of course, will be available to keep the big and little kids busy. Printed information about how a company can help support the club’s educational activities also will be available. L.B.Smith Inc., Somerville, NJ, will sponsor prizes and expenses for the PhilConex 2001 show.

Last year, the NKCC created a variety of special learning programs for schools. This year, the club will continue to work with schools, as well as the YMCA, Boys Clubs of America, children’s museums and Habitat for Humanity. “Schools are especially pleased with the building fairs we have created since they fit into school curriculums for grades K through 5,” said Neeley Murphy, science teacher and volunteer NKCC trustee.

New for this year is an educational program for cable in the classrooms that is being developed in conjunction with the club’s Web-site personality, “Ask Super Bill,” national speaker and award-winning remodeler. “This is an expensive program to create, but it can happen if we get sponsors,” explained Bill Asdal of Ask Super Bill. “We want children to actually see how things are made, from toilet bowls and carpeting to roads and buildings.”

The National Kids Construction Club is a non-profit educational organization that is staffed by volunteers. A Business Membership is $125 per year. National and local sponsors for the are welcome. Goods and services also are needed, such as home building supplies, die-cast construction toys and businesses that can handle student tours.

For more information, visit the National Kids Construction Club Web site at www.kidconstructclub.org to learn more.

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