More than a dozen children who are clients at Ball State University's Speech and Audiology Clinic now know more about the Indianapolis 500 Race thanks to Indy 500 Festival Princesses Jeannette Young and Jennifer Eakins.
The princesses, who are required to lead two outreach programs, hosted one Tuesday in the Arts and Communications Building, where they read a book, showed a film and played a game with the children in attendance.
Young, who has completed four programs, said these experiences have been her favorite part of being a princess so far. She has hosted events at Motivate Our Minds and Ball State's Child Study Center, but said she was especially interested in having a program at the clinic because she is a speech pathology major.
"Four years into the major, I know how to structure it," she said. "The more they get into it, the easier and more fun it is. Maybe one day, they'll say I [became a princess] because I saw someone else do it."
Eakins has also been busy planning and participating in outreach programs.
She has visited a library and will be going to her former elementary school in Fishers, Ind., to speak to fourth graders and to a preschool center in downtown Indianapolis.
"It's been a ride already and it's not even May yet," she said, adding that it's all worth it because it's "wonderful to help out the community."
Masters student Valerie Tinnish said she brought her client to the event on Tuesday because it was something different to do.
"It gives [the kids] a new experience," she said.
Patty Couch, clinical supervisor and assistant professor of speech-language pathology, oversaw the program.
"It's a win-win situation," she said. "Jeannette [and Eakins] can give back to the community and the clients get something from it too."
Young and Eakins are among 33 women from Indiana who were selected to be princesses. They represent 10 colleges and 25 cities across the state. Their duties include community service, advocating for the festival and attending all of the festival events in May.
A Festival Queen will be crowned the week before the Indy 500 Race at the Breakfast at the Brickyard event, and the winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship, Young said.
Eakins and Young both recently had interviews for the position. Young said a Ball State student won the crown several years ago and that she'd love to see it happen again this year.
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