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Celebration of Science
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
YOUNGSTOWN
A portion of Federal Street was taken over by drones, robots and more for a day.
“This is a celebration of all things science, technology, engineering and math,” said Audra Carlson, director of education for OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology 11 W. Federal St.
More than 30 exhibitors offered hands-on activities for children at the center’s fifth annual Silly Science Sunday. Inside the center, an additional 40 hands-on exhibits were available.
Exhibitors included NASA, Flight Test, the Mahoning Valley Manufacturing Coalition, high school robotics teams, the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County, the YWCA of Youngstown, and the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor. Six stage shows also were offered.
The Hoffer family of East Palestine attended for the first time. Jacob, 6, brought a flier home from school announcing the event.
“He had come here for a field trip and always wanted everybody else to come, too,” said his mother, Stacy.
The free event was an opportunity to do so.
“It’s really cool,” Stacy said.
The family was surprised by how large the event was, expecting it to be only inside OH WOW!
“It’s pretty fun,” Tanner, 13, said.
She planted a pumpkin seed to take home with her and tried her hand at flying a drone plane. It was hard, she said.
“The controller’s very touchy,” she added.
Though she wasn’t successful at flying the drone, she’d like to try again some time.
The event will help kids become interested in science, Stacy said.
“I think it shows them that science is more than what’s in a textbook,” she said. “When they actually get to do the hands-on stuff and see that it’s things that are exciting, robots and 3-D printing and things like that.”
Siblings Jamie, 12, and Calvin, 4, with Doug, their dad, enjoyed the activities, too.
Representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Berlin Lake, were on hand to show children that you don’t have to wear a lab coat to work in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
“Actually, as a park ranger we do a lot of mathematics regarding statistics for managing animal populations,” said Kat Fatula, park ranger. “Right now, we’re using a lot of science in trying to help fight the emerald ash borer infestation that we have.”
The corps was a first-time exhibitor, but Fatula said it would participate again.
Events such as Silly Science Sunday show kids that STEM fields aren’t boring, she said.
“You can be outside with animals and still have a job that’s related to science and mathematics,” she said.