Matthew Will
Managing Editor
The Wichita Thunder, along with Butler Community College and Golden Plains Credit Union, hosted their first Kids Day game in almost 16 years. On Wednesday, Nov. 7, local Wichita elementary, middle and high schools brought students together for hockey and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) activities.
“The Kids Day event … we just thought that was fun for families,” Kelly Snedden, director of marketing and college relations, said. “That’s what our focus was … how can we affect families.”
While the day is focused on kids and learning experiences, Butler was excited for the opportunity to talk to kids about college.
“[The Thunder] allowed us to put a booth at every main entrance in the arena, so we had two on the [main concourse], and we had one down towards the main door where everyone came in,” Snedden said.
Butler interacted with students of all ages, ranging from younger elementary to high school seniors. Finding activities, curriculum and interactive things to do with such a wide variety of students is difficult, but not something Snedden was worried about.
The three booths each had their own theme, all attempting to reach many students. The main booth near the entrance was social media based, encouraging student to stop and take pictures with Butler signs. On the concourse, the two booths were more program specific. One was STEAM based, with a virtual reality headset. The other booth was a fine arts exhibit with various artwork.
The Thunder, who are about a quarter of the way through the season, happened to be playing their hardest opponents yet. While Wichita did not come out on top in this year’s kids game, many considered the day a success. As for attendance, over 5,500 students attended the event.
“Both sides were thrilled [with the attendance],” Snedden said. “At one point, they were almost at 6,000.”
Looking forward, Butler is excited for the future and would love to continue the relationship with the Thunder. They would like to have more interactions with students in the future, hopefully by involving current Butler students as well. Snedden hopes Butler returns to Intrust Bank Arena next year and is interested in growing the college’s relationship with the Thunder.