Mobile Lab Brings Science to Kids

Jan 18, 01:22 AM

"Our whole goal is to get them more excited about science and technology careers and give them the hands-on training with things that might not happen in the schools," said Sgt. 1st Class Eric Bailey, one of two instructors for the Fort Knox, Ky.-based lab.

When he asked for volunteers, 30-plus sixth- and eighth-graders waved their hands - an indication the program must be working.

Eighth-grader Tyler Ford, 13, was selected to be a human conductor to demonstrate how electricity travels around the body as some of his schoolmates surrounded him with fluorescent light bulbs.

"It was weird. It was crazy - while I sat there nervously," he said.

The National Science Center, based at Augusta's Fort Discovery, is a partnership between the nonprofit National Science Center Inc. and the Army.

Sgt. 1st Class Bailey said the mobile lab gives demonstrations to 25,000 to 30,000 children a year. Rich Cadwell, a National Science Center education services specialist, said the lab is on the road about 220 days a year from January to June and from September to December.

Mr. Cadwell said the lab, which will be in North Augusta today, also visited Riverside Middle School. It will make stops in Aiken next week.

Tyler might not wait for the lab to visit his school again to learn about science.

"The Discovery Center - I'm going to be going there a lot now," he said.

Reach Betsy Gilliland at (706) 868-1222, ext. 113, or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.

MOBILE LAB REQUESTS

To inquire about a visit from the National Science Center mobile lab, call Waymon Stewart, a Fort Discovery program manager, at (706) 821-0219 or e-mail him at stewartw@nsc discovery.org.

Originally published by Betsy Gilliland Columbia County Bureau.

(c) 2007 Augusta Chronicle, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved. Mobile Lab Brings Science to Kids
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