By Andi Gates
We’re back with more (United) Ways to keep kids active and engaged this summer. With the unpredictable, and very rainy, weather, it can be hard to find ways to keep kids active. Lancaster Rec has some options for childcare and summer camps, but maybe you need to provide at-home activities and learning to keep your kids engaged and moving. Here’s another (United) Way to keep young minds working this summer.
Voices United Discussion
United Way of Lancaster Conty has held webinars under the “Voices United” umbrella. These focus on important community issues or topics where people can hear from professionals, experts, or those affected in the subject or field. These conversations can be found on the organization’s YouTube page.
So, how do you make your own “Voices United” discussion?
Materials Needed:
- Internet Access
- This can be a phone, laptop, or even a library computer! Anywhere you can research a topic.
- A group of people
- This can include friends, siblings, parents or guardians, and relatives.
Starting Your Discussion:
The first thing you’ll need to do is decide your topic. This can be something as silly as “why lunch is the best school subject” or even something a little more serious like “why a break in the school day is important for learning.” If you’re having trouble coming up with a topic, try searching online for “debate topics for kids” and find one you and your friends can agree on.
Speaking of being an expert, once you’ve picked your topic you’ll have to do research. With a parent or guardian’s permission, use the internet, any search engine like Google or Bing, to research your topic and take some notes of what you may want to talk about. You want to make sure you are an expert in your field!
You’re almost ready to start your discussion, but there’s just one more thing you want to do. For each “Voices United” webinar, we use a moderator. A moderator is the person that guides the discussion. This person will be asking the panel, a group of experts in the field, the discussion questions. (Think of it like English class when our teacher is asking you to explain a part of a book.) So, the group should pick a moderator and then brainstorm questions that will lead the discussion.
Now you are finally ready to start your “Voices United” discussion! You can sit in a circle on the floor, at a table, or wherever you are most comfortable and start talking about your topic.
Remember, this is something you all should agree on, and you are trying to learn more from each other. Be kind and wait for your turn to speak.
The moderator will ask the group, or just one individual, a question and you will all take turns sharing your research!
You can join us August 12, 2025, from 11am-12pm on Zoom for another Voices United discussion on the importance of literacy.
