Spring has arrived! There is nothing like warm weather and sunshine to make me want to try a little chemistry. I’ve included a handout and instructions you can download below on how to do an easy elephant toothpaste reaction. This clever reaction is a beautiful demonstration of how a catalyst can speed up a reaction and create a glorious mess. I encourage you to try the experiment al fresco and watch the rainbow of foam brighten up your day!
This experiment along with our lava lamp, rubber band car, and instant ice experiments will be part of our Spring STEM Family Engagement Webinar series. The series will kick off May 6th with Saturday Academy instructor Guru Surya Kaur Khalsa presenting on "Nature Journaling: Ancient Technology for Modern Folks of All Ages”. I’ll be presenting "Small Experiments to Engage Your Mind and Your Family," May 27th, and you will get to see elephant toothpaste in action! Our series will conclude with a special storytelling performance by Ed Edmo, “Legends from Celilo Falls”. The date for Ed’s talk is TBD, so keep your eyes peeled in your inbox for more information. These webinars are 90 minutes long and are appropriate for all ages! We hope that this series will bring a little joy, spark curiosity, and engage the whole family.
Spring is also a wonderful time to grow and learn as an organization. As part of our equity journey, Saturday Academy will be starting a 6-month training on Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion led by LeRoy Patton and Neeraja Havaligi. We look forward to reflecting deeply, learning more, and becoming a more culturally responsive organization. We’ll share our progress and resources along the way, and I hope that you will have the opportunity to learn along with us.
Looking further into summer, we’re excited that our catalog of summer classes and camps is up! You’ll find everything from Artistic Programming in Java to Nature Comics, and we’re offering both in-person and online options. As always, we are committed to making it possible for all interested students to learn regardless of financial circumstances. Tuition assistance is available for all of our summer classes and camps – simply request it when you register, and it will automatically be calculated and applied to your registration.
This summer we are also excited to announce that 70 internships will be running in virtual, hybrid, and in-person formats. Our mentors have created such exciting internships as “Crating Algorithms and Programs to Teach Computer Science to Middle School Students” and “Characterization of Stem Cells in Tissue Regeneration and Cancer.” We can’t wait to hear about our interns work this summer at the Apprenticeships in Science and Engineering Symposium Thursday, August 12th!
With gratitude,
Jackie
Jackie Wirz, Executive Director of Saturday Academy