The echo of children's laughter is not a common sound on a university campus. But once a month, kids of Elon University faculty and staff are welcome to join in Parents' Night Out, a student-led organization on campus that provides free babysitting.
Each event includes a craft, games, a snack and a movie, according to senior Helon Wright, student director of Parents' Night Out. Eric Hale, a former teaching fellow and 2011 alumnus, founded Parents' Night Out in December 2009.
"Eric loved Elon and Elon loved him," said Jennifer Fish, faculty adviser for the organization. "He utilized his time here to the fullest potential. He saw what faculty and staff did for him and wanted to pay them back."
In many cases, students and faculty can connect in ways not possible in the classroom.
"You build really great relationships from having this event," Wright said. "It sort of reminds faculty and staff that we're not just academic students, we do a lot of other things. And it helps them build trust with students."
She encourages volunteers to know the names of at least five children by the end of the night to make parents feel comfortable. Wright and her roommate, senior Amber Mathis, became close with the children of former Elon professor John Pell. When the family was preparing to move to Sanford, the kids asked their parents to have Wright and Mathis to their home for dinner.
"I never had him as a professor, never had a class with him, but I could just stop by his office anytime," Wright said. "It's indicative of the sort of relationship that can be fostered."
Heidi Hollingsworth, assistant professor of education, has participated in Parents' Night Out several times and said she enjoys seeing the friendships between the kids.
"I think it's just a really nice opportunity for parents of young kids of a variety of ages to get the kids together with other children and know there are responsible supervising adults there," she said. "It's a chance to go out and have adult conversation."
Senior Mauria Butler, a middle grades education major, said one of her favorite memories at Parents' Night Out happened just a few weeks ago.
"I was caring for a 9-month-old who was so cranky that the only thing that would keep him from crying was to watch a 10-year-old boy juggle and then drop all the balls on the floor while I helped him," Butler said. "Being an education major, free babysitting is right up my alley."
While Wright said faculty and staff are not required to pay the students, donations are collected for the local Boys and Girls Club to fund a scholarship for a child who would otherwise be unable to attend.
For junior Gwen Hambright, the best part of her time volunteering with Parents' Night Out is the relationships she builds with the kids.
"I love it when we have kids come back," she said. "You get to know them, you learn what they like and what they don't like, if they are shy or outgoing and all about the interesting things that they do."
Wright said the organization began with about 20 students at each event, held at the beginning of the month. With an average now of about 35, she said an event this semester reached an all-time high with 50 participants.