OH WOW! gets $10,000 grant

Staff report

Youngstown

OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology’s Science Makes Cents Capital Campaign received a $10,000 grant from The Jane F. Lamb Charitable Foundation of Farmers Trust Company.

The Lamb Foundation has selected the center pool component of OH WOW!’s Stream and Erosion Table Exhibit to carry its name.

“This particular exhibit has been custom designed for OH WOW! and will offer visitors 40 feet of hands-on, interactive water experiences,” said board president Ronald Cornell Faniro.

“All of our exhibits are focused on science, technology, engineering and math, and linked to the state’s educational content standards,” he added.

The center will open in spring 2011 after completing renovation of the historic McCrory Building on Central Square in downtown Youngstown, and is expected to draw 25,000 to 30,000 visitors to the arts and entertainment district annually.

A $3.2 million economic impact to the region is anticipated, center officials said.

OH WOW!’s mission is to foster independent thinking and enrich the lives of all children by creating a welcoming environment where they can develop learning skills and knowledge through the exploration of hands-on interactive exhibits and educational programs, which are rooted in science, technology, engineering and math.

The center used to be called Children’s Museum of the Mahoning Valley and was located on East Boardman Street.