Boyd BioMedical shows how different materials appear at 100x magnification.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Children and their families were able to learn from a range of science experiments last week night from Flying Clouds annual STEAM Challenge Night.
Flying Cloud, an organization that offers programs in the arts and science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) to schools and children in the area, brought together about 20 organizations at the Berkshire Innovation Center to demonstrate science-based projects.
"We believe in creative expression, as well as being an integral piece of learning science. And so we call it our STEAM Challenge. And then all the people that we get to work with all through the year, all of these different organizations and businesses, they come and offer a hands-on activity and, honestly, they just bring such creative and imaginative things," said Flying Cloud Executive Director Maria Rundle.
Organizations and businesses, including Bottomless Bricks, BeatNest, MassAudobon, Latinas413, Mount Everett Robotics, and more were interacting with students Thursday night.
Boyd BioMedical, a manufacturer in Lee, came to the challenge night for the first time and was demonstrating different materials and what they looked like at 100x magnification.
"It's just a way to stimulate the minds of the young kids and get them interested in science," said Director of Quality Dan DeFranco. "I have kids of my own. I love the fact that they like getting into the experiments and doing these fun things. So the more you can encourage it, the better off they are."
Linda Merry, a life sciences technical assistant at Berkshire Community College, brought plants and galvanometers, electromechanical measuring instruments. She used the devices to play the sounds of evapotranspiration -- water evaporating from the soil and plants -- as well as the sounds from the body.
"I think it's important because we have a literal connection to plants that conventional science is only just starting to catch up on," she said.
Brittany Hunter and her family were at the event and learning about the sounds from the plants and said the event is great especially for her daughter.
"It's good interaction for them to just get used to, especially her as a female, knowing that she can do this type of science," Hunter said.
Hunter's daughter, Briella Speth, said she likes science and thinks she might do something with science when she grows up.
"It's more fun than being in school, because it's more hands on, and you get to be creative and see new things," Speth said.
Ann Billetz, a professor of biology at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, held a handwashing station in conjunction with the Berkshire STEM Network. Children put Glo Germ detection gel on their hands, washed them, and then used a blacklight to see if any Glo Germ was left.
"I think this is what makes kids excited about STEM and science, that these are the activities that get you excited, sitting in school learning about information is not the most exciting. Science is all about exploration and discovery," Billetz said. "So for this, where they get to do these kind of activities, are things they'll remember, and hopefully it makes them a little more excited about science."
Jonie Olsen, her husband and her son, Killian, tried the hand washing table.
"A really exciting thing to see our greater community come together for children, that's what I'm happy about, and to expose them to all these different types of activities, some that are fun and silly, like this germ one and ones that they really have to think about, like creating a thing to go down the zip line," she said.
Olsen said Killian is homeschooled and this event is a great way to connect with his friends and is also way for him to get into the real world and get these experiences.
"Because in everyday life, they're not always getting these experiences, and this gets them off of their tablets and into the real world and really seeing different jobs that people have and just different things that they can do with their hands and with their brains," she said.
Rundle said she hopes the kids feel empowered and encouraged through science when they leave the event.
"I think they take away that they are little scientists and they are capable, and they can try something and it doesn't work, and they can try again, and they can see their own ideas co-created with the adults from, I mean, this is a very impressive lineup of people that have come out here tonight," she said.
"I'm so grateful to them, and the fact that these kids get to identify with them and feel that they're co-creating an experience together. I hope that they feel empowered, and I hope they see their own excellence through the eyes of the people that they get to work alongside tonight."
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