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Young minds were given an opportunity to learn from professionals, those working in the field, during Marengo Elementary School’s annual Super Science Night last Wednesday night.
Passing on their knowledge were an assortment of experts in scientific world, medical and other professions for a night of educational fun.
Jay Bromley helped organized the event along with Chiara Daraio, featuring a variety of kid friendly hands-on demonstrations in the school’s auditorium and inside classrooms.
“The idea is to let kids see different areas of science that the parents of Marengo participate in,” Bromely explained. “We have astronomers, computer scientists, a cinematographer and others. We try to get as many professionals as we can who describe how science works in their job.”
Bromley said the students are “shown possibilities,” he explained, when asked what they gain from the experience. “By having the parents participate, it kind of lets them know that science isn’t this odd, abstract thing. That it’s involved in many day-to-day things. It’s something that is very accessible.”
What has kept Super Science Night going for close to 10 years has been the desire to expose science to the students, Bromely said, noting, “to show them a piece of science.”
It’s a night in which students have an opportunity to make scientific discoveries they necessarily wouldn’t learn in the classroom. It might even be the impetus, leading to a career in science someday.
Students walked away with knowledge in mathematics, robotics, ultrasound, outer space, optometry, the medical and dental field, and more.
Among the topics were “Germs Everywhere! Friends or Foe?,” “How Do Flies Fly,” “How Animals See,” and “Shrinking balloons and Other Chemistry Fun.”
“They’re able to do something without the restrictions of a classroom,” explained Lisa Robinson, a third grade teacher at Marengo, who has been a backer of Super Science Night for many years. “They can speak to professionals, people who have a deep knowledge of whatever the topic is.”
