EHE News
Elmer's Products Inc. names art studio at Schoenbaum Family Center at Weinland Park
The children's reactions will help shape Elmer's products worldwide.
Elmer's Products Inc., which makes more than glue, has launched an innovative partnership with the College of Education and Human Ecology. Headquartered in Columbus, the company has pledged a $100,000 bricks-and-mortar gift to the Schoenbaum Family Center and will provide art supplies for five years.
In addition, the diverse population of children enrolled in the center's early childhood program will test new products for Elmer's, both at the center and at home. The 3- to 5-year-olds will help shape the company's new line of early learning products that get children excited about learning while developing basic skills for kindergarten.
"Elmer's five-year pledge is just the start of our involvement with the college," said Joe Wetli, senior marketing manager for Elmer's Education Division. "There's an identified need for our products, which are fun and invite creativity while developing basic skills in language, literacy, math, and science. We see working with the college as the chance to have our products deeply rooted in the educational realm, with solid input from early childhood specialists, researchers, children, and parents. At the same time, we'll give to a neighborhood in need by exposing these children to products they might otherwise never enjoy."
Children will test Elmer's Education products, shape results for others worldwide
Elmer's new Education Division was founded in 2007 to expand the company's global contribution to the education market.
Product engineers, designers, and developers, as well as marketing staff, will observe the children and teachers at the Schoenbaum Center interacting with the new products, which are still in the "top secret" stage.
Deep concentration seems to help this small artist as he tests Elmer's educational art supplies.
"What I can say right now is that our products introduce basic skills such as understanding colors, shapes, and numbers, and then move to more advanced skills such as recognizing patterns and telling stories," said Wetli. "We also have products to develop children's large motor skills. They involve things children love to do, such as running, jumping, crawling under things, hopping, and kicking. The children also learn about measurement by recording their activities using simple math."
Overall, Elmer's products will deliver on the fact that children develop at different rates. Since the children at the Schoenbaum Center are from a mix of economic and ethnic backgrounds and family situations, they will help Elmer's ensure that children at all stages of development can have a fun, meaningful experience with their products.
"We welcome Elmer's to our powerful public/private partnerships that are improving the lives of children and youth through commitment to common goals," said Interim Dean Sandra Stroot. "These partnerships are the first in the U.S. to build a network of laboratory schools covering infancy through grade 12. We and Elmer's have the same goals - to prepare young children for success in learning and living. With their support, we can influence education in central Ohio and around the world."
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