ARLINGTON, Va. – The corridors of Arlington Hall, where the National Guard Bureau has offices, were filled with the laughter and voices of children of all ages as service members, civilians and government employees escorted their little ones around the workplace April 24.
The event was a two-fold celebration of Earth Day and Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work. To keep the children entertained, volunteers set up activities throughout the day that included face painting, arts and crafts, archery, a Zumba class, miniature archaeology, and even meet-and-greets with several little critters.
According to a 2013 National Women’s History Museum Article, “Take Our Daughters to Work Day” began in New York City in 1992 through the efforts of Gloria Steinem of the Ms. Foundation. In 2003 the program expanded to include boys and then rebranded itself to its current title.
At Arlington Hall, as families filed out one by one, and bags of swag hung over the shoulders after a long day of activities, the success of the flurry of events was written on the faces of the children and the many volunteers.