2023 Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 144 BY SENATOR FOIL A RESOLUTION To designate Thursday, June 1, 2023, as Knock Knock Children's Museum Day at the state capitol. WHEREAS, Knock Knock Children's Museum, a nonprofit educational and cultural organization, opened its doors in August 2017 in the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge's City-Brooks Park; and WHEREAS, Knock Knock Children's Museum is built on a foundation of evidence-based research regarding the critical importance of play and its impact on early brain development and learning; and WHEREAS, Knock Knock Children's Museum provides a safe and inclusive space where families can connect in meaningful ways and is a place where parents and caregivers can spend quality time with children, learn something new themselves, and experience the joy of becoming immersed in purposeful, meaningful play in the museum's eighteen learning zones; and WHEREAS, Knock Knock Children's Museum, a contributor to the local economy, helps close both the knowledge and opportunity gap in the greater Capital Region by knocking down barriers for families through its Access for All programs for children with disabilities or special needs and an expanding population of children living in under-resourced environments and poverty; and WHEREAS, Knock Knock Children's Museum remains focused on all areas of development and learning, with a special emphasis on increasing early literacy skills including reading, writing, listening, and speaking, while expanding knowledge and raising interest in S.T.E.A.M., which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math subjects, careers, and future career pathways; and Page 1 of 2 SR NO. 144 ENROLLED WHEREAS, Knock Knock Children's Museum recognizes the gap in professional learning opportunities for early STEM education and continues to provide professional development to hundreds of elementary and early childhood educators through "making and tinkering" workshops, emphasizing creative thinking and problem-solving, innovation, and workforce development skills; and WHEREAS, Knock Knock Children's Museum survived the COVID-19 pandemic despite being shut down for four hundred forty-seven days; and during the height of the pandemic the museum continued to provide high-quality early learning experiences, bringing the Knock Knock at Your Door initiative out into the community through learning kits, virtual online livestream activities for children, and virtual professional development for educators; and WHEREAS, Knock Knock Children's Museum continues to fulfill its mission to be a community spark for engaging playful learning experiences that inspire and support lifelong learning, serving more than six hundred thousand children from birth through age eight and their families, visitors from all sixty-four Louisiana parishes, and thousands of visitors from other states and countries. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby recognize Thursday, June 1, 2023, as Knock Knock Children's Museum Day at the state capitol. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby recognize the Knock Knock Children's Museum's pivotal role in advancing Louisiana's early childhood educational, cultural, and economic development by providing opportunities to learn, explore, and discover in its award-winning twenty-six thousand square-foot facility. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the chairman of the board, Hunter Hines, and the executive director of the Knock Knock Children's Museum. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE Page 2 of 2