Corey McCadden
In just a few short months, Corey McCadden has made a tremendous impression on the visitors and staff at Stepping Stones Museum for Children. Corey joined the Stepping Stones team in September of 2012 and the positive feedback on him started rolling in almost immediately.
“From day one, I just made sure that I kept a smile on my face and let our visitors know that I’m here to help them as best that I could,” he said. “It was great to be acknowledged for my communication skills and to be recognized early on by my peers and the visitors, but in reality it was just a matter of me doing what comes naturally to me.”
And what Corey comes naturally to him is interacting with children. The youngest of seven children, he grew up spending lots of time with siblings, nieces and nephews. The desire to work with kids runs in his blood as his mother is an educator. “I love the energy that you get from working with kids,” he said. “I love putting smiles on kids’ faces and the fact that you get to be a kid yourself when you are around children.”
According to Corey, play is not just about fun and games, but also about serving a higher purpose. “As children grow, the learning should never stop,” he said. “One of the things I like about this museum is that not only is there lots of playing here, but there is also a lot of learning.”
Corey takes his role as a Play Explorer very seriously. He believes his interaction with children fills a very important role. “I would like to be a mentor, someone that children can trust, someone that they can turn to, someone that they can look up to,” he said. “I want to set a good example for kids and, to be honest, that’s rewarding in and of itself.”
Corey’s favorite exhibit is our newest feature, Framed: Step into Art™. The art enthusiast could not wait for the traveling exhibit to be installed. “I love art,” he said. “It is my passion. If you want to get to know me, you can get to know me through my art. I like to write. I like to draw. Whether it is poetry, musical or lyrical, it’s expressive and it’s unique.” Whether you meet up with Corey in Framed or at one of our other play-driven exhibits, we know that you’re in great hands and you’ll have a great time.
Lauren McKeon
Lauren McKeon tapped into her passion for helping children in an unusual place. Affectionately known as “LM,” Lauren has always enjoyed working with people and supporting others. Before joining the Stepping Stones team, LM used these skills working in a funeral home. Through working with people at their time of greatest need for love and empathy, she discovered a need to play a supporting role in the lives of young people. This drive to help others and support those around her, lead LM to Stepping Stones.
The museum’s mission is to broaden and enrich educational opportunities for children ten and under. LM was inspired to not only encourage museum visitors to take advantage of these opportunities, but seek out new opportunities for her. Her work at the museum has provided her with some of her most enriching experiences and opportunities. “I have made many of my closest friends here,” she said. “We all have something huge in common – we love children.” LM travelled with a co-worker to Nicaragua to do volunteer work with school children through the Norwalk/Nagarote Sister City Project. This trip cemented her desire to become a pediatric nurse and now, on top of her full time work at the museum, LM is pursuing a nursing degree.
LM has been a Play Explorer and a Floor Supervisor at Stepping Stones for more than six years now. “I never had a place like this to go to when I was growing up,” she said. “I love seeing the light in a child as curiosity takes over and they begin to touch and manipulate everything here. Being a Play Explorer allows me to have very personal one-on-one interactions with children and their families because our members come so often.”
Surprisingly, our nursing student did not choose Healthyville® as her favorite exhibit.
Though she realizes that “health is so important to child’s development,” LM had a hard time choosing between Energy Lab® and Tot Town®. “Energy Lab is so ‘open ended’ and the water is a huge hit with everyone,” she said. “But the babies and toddlers in Tot Town are so wide open to suggestions and excited about being guided. Everything is new and exciting to them. I can’t decide. I just love the giggles and laughter. It’s awesome.”
Matthew King
Matt brings a very unique life experience to his job as a Play Explorer at Stepping Stones Museum for Children. Before coming to Stepping Stones in November of 2010, King made a significant lifestyle change and lost nearly 120 pounds. “I started walking a little bit and someone noticed that I had lost a little weight and made a nice comment,” said Matt. “That person motivated me to keep at it and lose more and more weight. I feel like 100 times better now than in the past.”
With his dramatic weight loss, it stands to reason that Matt’s favorite Stepping Stones exhibit is Healthyville®. “I love the Healthyville® exhibit because it teaches kids to eat healthy and how to maintain their health,” Matt said. “Whether it’s a lesson about regular physical activity or regular visits to the dentist and doctor, Healthyville® teaches kids how to be proactive with their health and that’s very important. I really didn’t know about these things when I was younger.”
Besides his impressive weight loss back story, Matt brings many other assets to Stepping Stones everyday. He always comes equipped with a strong work ethic, a very positive outlook and a great affinity for children. “I truly enjoy interacting with the kids,” Matt said. “I have 5 younger siblings, including my sister Kelli who also works here, so I’ve been interacting with kids my whole life. Children just love to have fun. Kids aren’t too wrapped up in all of the things that are going on in the world. They are just enjoying the moment. It’s all so innocent and I really enjoy that.”
Matt doesn’t take himself too seriously. He always has a smile or a joke for his colleagues. It’s a huge part of his charm. In fact, Matt created a hilarious Power Point presentation to “lobby” for this Play Explorer feature. “The PowerPoint was created in fun, but I do think that all Play Explorers should aspire to be the featured Play Explorer,” said Matt. “We’re all stewards of the museum and we need to be good role models for every kid that we encounter. Whether it is the PowerPoint or telling a funny joke, I try to keep our staff laughing and smiling because I think it’s important. If we’re happy, then it’s easier for us to provide a positive atmosphere for our guests.”
When Matt isn’t at Stepping Stones, he is pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice at Western Connecticut State University. He is also volunteering with the Norwalk Mentor Program and Community Plates. Matt is attempting to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a firefighter. We wish him nothing but the best as he works hard toward his ultimate goal.
In the meantime, on most days of the week, you’ll find Matt having a good time on the museum floor. “Whatever I am doing, I always give 100 percent,” he said. “But I always remember to enjoy what I am doing as well.” We promise that your child would enjoy spending time with Matt in Healthyville® or one of our other play-filled galleries.
Darchell Clark
Having been through US Marine Corps boot camp and three years of service, it makes sense that Darchell Clark’s favorite Stepping Stones experience is the new program, Game On! Camaraderie, cooperation, skill and pride are credos of the armed services and Game On! encourages all of those traits. “Organizing our visitors into teams and coaching them through games of What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?, Relay Races, Duck Duck Goose and Kick Ball is so much fun and the kids and their parents love it,” Darchell said. “It is really cool to watch all of the different characteristics of their personalities unfold as we play these team games.”
Through his stint in the Marines, Darchell fulfilled his goal of serving his country. “I joined the service after high school because I wanted to contribute to my country and I feel great about my service,” he said. However, it was a fateful trip to the playground with his sister that led him to Stepping Stones and the chance to fulfill another one of his goals, serving his community. “I looked in the window and said, ‘Wow! I walked straight in, sister in tow, and asked for an application.”
Raised in Norwalk amidst six brothers and sisters, interacting with kids comes naturally to Darchell. “I like kids a lot!” he said. When he isn’t in his Play Explorer shoes, he is in his running shoes, is drawing or is directing his church youth choir. Darchell’s fantastic outlook is evident from the first time you meet him and our visitors love playing with him. Darchell’s long-term goals are to inspire a positive attitude in youth and he is doing just that every day.
Darchell just changed his part-time Play Explorer status to seasonal as he is heading off to Huntsville, Alabama, where he plans to study theology and vocal performance at Oakwood University. He grew up in a musical household and is committed to youth ministry. Darchell has led his own church choir for years and we hope to get him involved in our Sing-a-long program when he is back at Stepping Stones on school breaks. Good luck, Darchell! We know that great things lie ahead for you!
Before he heads south, Darchell does leave some parting advice for parents. “Come ready to interact with your children,” he said. “Let your inner child go at Stepping Stones.”
Meet Shantell Davis
For over four years, Shantell Davis has been showing visitors every imaginative and dazzling inch of the museum. This Norwalk resident discovered her love of working with children by babysitting in her neighborhood and helping to take care of her cousins.
Shantell wears many hats at Stepping Stones, but her favorite is the party hat. As a guide for children's parties, she helps make this occasion special, from the set-up and decorations to interacting with the birthday boy or girl and their friends. Birthday parties at Stepping Stones are huge affairs and Shantell is one of the people who turn these parties into treasured memories.
Shantell can tell you all about the important messages in the exhibits at Stepping Stones, especially her favorite exhibit, Healthyville®. Having just completed a medical assistant program at Butler Business School in Bridgeport, Shantell is passionate about a healthy lifestyle. “Healthyville opens up a child's mind and alleviates that nervous fear of going to the doctors or dentists office,” she said. “It gives them the opportunity to have fun and learn at the same time.”
A love of working with children is standard for all Play Explorers at Stepping Stones and Shantell enjoys helping to create a friendly and loving experience for children and their families. One of her favorite things about her job is seeing families return to the museum and become members. Families often recognize Shantell during their multiple trips back and that is very gratifying.
Her advice for first time visitors is to keep an open mind. “Be ready to unlock your child’s potential to a whole different way of learning that is hands-on and simply enjoyable.”
Meet Alan Silverio Tot Town® is his exhibit of choice.
Alan's advice for first time visitors:
“Bring an extra set of clothes! Once kids find Energy Lab®, there’s no keeping them dry.” Little did Alan know that his stint as a summer intern in 2007, while attending Greenwich High School, would be just the beginning of his history with Stepping Stones. His love for children and the museum led him to a job as a Play Explorer. Alan was recently promoted to Multimedia Gallery Lead and he's responsible for managing the technology in the museum's Multimedia Gallery.
“I’ve worn through two pairs of pants in the knees from getting on the floor to play with children in Tot Town,” he says with a chuckle. “I really enjoy interacting with the children.”
Born in the Dominican Republic, Alan spent his childhood in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. While currently residing in Bridgeport, Alan sees himself moving to Southern California one day. “I just love the laid back lifestyle and the weather,” he shared.
When Alan isn’t at Stepping Stones, he’s pursuing a Master’s Degree in English from Fairfield University. Alan loves writing and is currently penning a science fiction novel. Though hesitant to share the plot of his novel just yet, he did offer, “I love science fiction because it's half reality and half fantasy. I’m attracted to the possibility that what you write could be real down the road.”
You won’t find Alan inside reading and writing all the time, he’s also an outdoor enthusiast who discovered rock climbing in middle school. “Climbing is a great opportunity to explore new places. There are more great places to rock climb in Fairfield County than people realize.”
Juliette Victoria known to everybody as J.V. – loves the exhibit Build It!
“If you start building something, kids come over to you,” which is what makes Build It! so much fun for the Play Explorers. J.V. opens a drawer filled with Kapla Blocks and starts constructing. “We get these projects going and the kids and their parents start building with us. Suddenly, we are all in a competition to see how high we can go.”
Raised in Norwalk, J.V. came to the museum when she was in high school through the School to Career Program. Seven years later, J.V. still loves Stepping Stones. “I’ve been off to college and I’ve had other jobs, but this one is just the best.” Recently promoted to a “LEAD” J.V. is taking on more responsibility. Leads are expected to set the example for all Play Explorers and to be accessible and available for questions, advice and support.
Something interesting about JV
When J.V. was younger, she became drawn to Korean variety shows like Family Outing and
Running Man. The fact that they were subtitled didn’t phase her. She is teaching herself Korean, has visited Japan and hopes to live in one of these countries one day.
“I admire the discipline and respect that people in these cultures show to one another.” – J.V.
Speaking of discipline and respect, J.V. has a comforting message for parents struggling to get their kids out of the museum store. “Don’t worry or be embarrassed if your kid is melting down because they can’t buy a toy every single time they come. Play Explorers get this. We understand. We sympathize with you.” You can find J.V. here most days. If you see her on the floor, ask her if she wants to build something with you.