October 7, 2015

Place for all “Wanna Be” Scientists and Makerspace

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Kiwanis Club of Carefree is kicking off Science Fair season with Sensational Science Night. On October 20 from 6-9 p.m., FCF-Holland Center (34250 N. 60th Street) will become a gathering spot where young scientists can ask questions of working scientists. For students interested in engineering there will be Makerspace area where students can build innovative projects. There will also be booths with information on what it takes to enter Arizona Science and Engineering Fair.

There will also be an Elastic Launched Glider Contest. To find information go to the Kiwanis Science Fair website at https://sites.google.com/site/kiwanisofcarefreesciencefair/.

Diane Vaszliy, a recent Kiwanis’ Science and Education Committee (KSEC) member, stated, “Our community loves to offer young, budding scientists the opportunity to get their “hands on” and their “minds into” science and then to “show off” what they can do!  Our Sensational Science Night is the kick off on that experience.  Come and experiment with the pros!  Lots of activities and guidance.  Don’t miss this chance to join in the excitement that surrounds science!”

Under the direction of Paula Scully, KSEC is changing its focus. “This year we are encouraging students to reach for higher levels” said Scully. KSEC will be helping student scientists to not only win at their school fairs but also to enter the Kiwanis Community Science Fair and have a chance to go on to Arizona Science and Engineering Fair. Paul Schoonover, the new KSEC co-chair, said, “Kiwanis members on the committee have been involved for the past 10 years. We want to do the work that we are best suited for, stimulating their imaginations so students can create terrific and meaningful science experiments and become part of the Kiwanis Community Science Fair and maybe more.”

This is the 11th year Kiwanis Club of Carefree has been involved in local science fairs. It has grown from one Community Science Fair in 2005 where 300 students participated to Kiwanis handling 17 school fairs and 1 large Community Science Fair.

This year the individual schools will be taking over the major work of putting on school science fairs and Kiwanis Club members will concentrate their efforts on mentoring. The Kiwanis Club’s goal has always been to raise students’ levels of interest in and knowledge of science and math. This is going to be a new way to do just that.