A Heap of Hands-on Fun: Coalition's Demonstrations, Other Efforts Are Aimed at Increasing Excitement

Jun 22, 05:17 AM

Current Headlines: By Melodee Hall Blobaum, The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Jun. 22--"Have fun" was rule No. 3 for the 190 or so kids and adults at the Mad Science program Thursday in Leawood.

But it might be rule No. 1 for KC Science Inc., a coalition that's hoping to pique youngsters' interest in science, inspire them to consider careers in the field and raise science literacy across all age levels.

"Science issues in the news tend to be overly politicized," said Erica Reynolds, KC Science Inc. project manager. "We need to be reminded that science is about fun and inquiry and discovering the world and being curious."

Since receiving a grant in November, the partnership has focused on raising awareness of science through programs on public television and science nights at the Johnson County Library and Science City.

They've created a Web site that spotlights science careers and provides resources for students who want to learn more.

And they've produced an online calendar of science events taking place all over the metropolitan area, like the one Thursday at the Leawood Pioneer Library.

Youngsters there got equal doses of science and fun from Courtney Renegar, whose Mad Science moniker is Catalyst Courtney.

By watching toilet paper fly, they discovered how wind lifts airplanes. They saw firsthand how hot air is lighter than cold air by launching a hot-air balloon. And they learned the strength of air pressure by riding a hoverboard.

Such hands-on fun is essential to sparking an interest in science.

Six-year-old Lauren Van Winkle of Leawood, whose mom brought her to Thursday's program, didn't remember studying science in first grade this year. But she did remember the boat races.

"They were fun," she said.

Her mom, Susan Van Winkle, said the races were part of the science curriculum, introducing the idea of wind power and mass.

Science is Michael Burns' favorite subject. The Leawood 10-year-old hopes to be a chemist someday, and what he likes best about science is experiments.

His mom, Patty Burns, said Thursday's program appealed to all three of her children, all of them interested in science.

"It's bringing science to life," she said.

That's music to Steven B. Case's ears.

Case, associate director of the University of Kansas Center for Science Education and a founding member of KC Science Inc., said active engagement in science was the best way to create appreciation for the subject.

He was involved with summer enrichment programs in the Shawnee Mission School District for 20 years and saw how the hands-on science programs encouraged ordinary kids to take science classes and do well in them.

But it wasn't just the kids who grew to appreciate the subject.

"It starts a conversation in the family," Case said. "It creates a level of appreciation and conversation that wasn't there before."

The effort is essential as Kansas City seeks to become a bioscience leader in the Midwest, Case said.

"The development of individuals who are literate and excited and understand the issues is really quite critical," he said. "It's the only way to sell ourselves as a bioscience hub. That kind of effort requires this kind of community excitement."

Reynolds said it was easy for people to understand connecting kids and science. What's harder is the notion of adults connecting with science once they've finished high school biology, chemistry and physics.

"They don't think of science as something adults do," she said.

KC Science Inc. hopes to change that, creating science appreciation opportunities much the way that other institutions work on arts appreciation.

"They don't teach people to play the cello," Reynolds said. "But they teach them to appreciate it."

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To reach Melodee Hall Blobaum, call 816-234-7733 or send e-mail to mblobaum@kcstar.com

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