For Mikoto Frank, a walk across campus isn’t always about getting to class. The second-year Bachelor of Early Childhood Curriculum Studies student often slows her stride to match that of some young visitors.

 As a research assistant for Dr. Ozlem Cankaya and the StoryWalk at MacEwan project, Frank communicates with designers and children’s book authors and builds connections between StoryWalk and community organizations that work with families.  

“Hosting children on campus is one of my favourite parts of this work,” she says. “I’ve welcomed child-care centres, elementary schools, early childhood educators and front-line workers with different community organizations.”

As they navigate the interactive StoryWalk experience – pausing to read a page of a picture book, then walking to the next installation – Frank invites children to make connections, ask questions and share their ideas and experiences. She says that children are interested and excited to explore the storybook – and MacEwan. 

“We’ve collaborated with the Makerspace in the Library, faculty members and MacEwan’s beekeepers to give children and families a glimpse of what it is like to be a university student,” says Frank. “We generally think of universities as places meant for adults, but I love that StoryWalk welcomes and includes children into our community.” 

Last May, when a group of 60 Grade 2 students visited StoryWalk, Frank says she truly understood the impact of StoryWalk. As children made their way from one page of This Land is a Lullaby to the next, Frank says she overheard them talking about building their futures – that they were going to be students at MacEwan one day, and what they might want to do in their future careers.

“It was a big, exciting day, but it was a small conversation I had with one of their teachers that stuck with me,” she says. “She told me that many children’s parents had never had the chance to complete post-secondary education, or even high school. I saw firsthand how we are planting seeds in children’s minds that a university experience could be part of their future.”

But Frank says the children and families aren’t the only people taking something with them from their StoryWalk experience.

“That day, I found a new confidence,” she says. “I felt like I was making a difference, and that experience changed me. As students, we have so much to learn and we’re going into spaces we’re not always sure about, but StoryWalk has helped me step into my identity as an emerging educator, researcher and professional – and an advocate for children’s learning.”