Silly Science Sunday - OH WOW!
OH WOW! lives up to its name with fundraiser
Youngstown
Ziair Logan, 8, climbed into the cockpit of a single-prop plane while his grandfather Charles Logan watched from the side.
When asked where he planned to fly, “North America,” Ziair answered. After finding out he already was in North America, he settled for his second choice, China.
Charles and Ziair Logan were two of hundreds from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday to visit the OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science and Technology’s Silly Science Sunday.
For the center, which opened downtown in May, the event served as its largest fundraiser and as a kickoff for the school year.
“This is a really hectic time of year for us,” said Suzanne Barbati, executive director.
From here on out, the center will host various events such as field trips and birthdays.
Planning for the event began in May, said Brittany Linville, development manager. The sponsors were put in place by July, and as of Saturday, the event raised $15,000 and the center raised $2.5 million total.
The event was designed after the Spooktacular street fest the Children’s Museum of the Valley used to put on. But Barbati wanted Silly Science Sunday to focus on science, technology, engineering and math. This allowed children such as 10-year-old Tyler Marcum, who wants to be an engineer, to build structures and examine hydraulic pressure lifting plastic balls.
“It’s all about letting kids know that science happens every day in our lives whether or not you realize it,” Barbati said.
The event also raised awareness for the science center. Although Barbati said more than 10,000 people already have visited OH WOW!, there are still many more who have not checked it out.
“A lot of people don’t know that there is a world-class science center here in Youngstown,” Barbati said.
For Charles Logan with his grandson, it was their first visit.
“They are learning and having fun, which is a hard thing to do,” Charles Logan said.
And like Gina Maniscalco’s two children, Katelyn, 9, and Kyle, 10, Ziair Logan’s favorite section was the hurricane exhibit.
“I couldn’t keep them out of the hurricane tunnel,” Gina Maniscalco said as Katelyn smiled and sustained 80-mph wind in the tunnel.
Kyle, she said, had more fun building objects on the shake table, which was made to simulate earthquake effects on buildings.
The science spilled outdoors onto Federal Street where organizations such as Mill Creek MetroParks and the Youngstown State University College of STEM provided additional hands-on instructions.
Also outside, the children were able to rest their minds and parents their feet when the band Hey Kid! took the stage and performed songs such as “Minivan Dance.”
As the band performed while sitting in four folding chairs, Linville watched the children dance to the upbeat song.
“If you work for an organization that works for children and helps them all learn, you are doing a good job,” she said.