EWTN Web site teaches the faith to kids

Mar 6, 2005 / 22:00 pm

EWTNKids has taken off in a new way. Launched two years ago, Catholic schools across the U.S. have begun using EWTNKids. The first school to register its religion class students for access to EWTNKids is St. Monica's Catholic School in Miami, FL.

Principal Manuel F. Varela says the Web site fits in perfectly with the school’s plan to become a model Catholic urban school that offers quality education. 

Varela added: "The site has helped our children to relate, to connect, to be active and interested. They have begun to get more into their faith.  While half of St. Monica's students aren't Catholic, EWTNKids has helped all of our students to understand the Catholic faith in a fun and loving way."

Varela is also grateful for the EWTNKids Web site for helping the school to save money on its religious curriculum.

"In the past we have spent a lot of money on traditional religion books that some of our slower learners found too challenging,” he said. “This site has helped to take care of that problem."

The EWTNKids site is set up as an interactive neighborhood, consisting of a church, a school, a clubhouse, a post office, a library, three houses, and the EWTN studio building. The school consists of interactive classrooms where visitors can take easy, moderate or advanced quizzes. Kids can write to the Holy Father, EWTN, and others during their visit to the post office.

In the three houses, they meet the Morgans, the Washingtons and the Diegos. The interactive children in these homes take a child through many different fun and entertaining learning activities, from how to make a prayer corner to making a spiritual bouquet. 

In the Morgan home, the user finds Baby Grace's room, which contains a book titled "Before I Was Born." In this book, the progression of life in the womb is shown in a delicate and educational manner appropriate for young children.

The library is the place to go for age-appropriate Catholic-related books and education.

A visit to the EWTN studio building includes the TV studios and the radio station, where kids can listen to popular songs and see short video clips of a variety of shows.

The primary designer of the site is Kymberly Fach, who holds a degree in Theology and Religious Education as well as training in Commercial Art.

"I want kids to have fun while they're learning,” said Fach. “We will be updating and adding to the site, so every time they visit, they will see something new."