STEM is a key element of our Education reform plan, Arizona Ready (www.ArizonaReady.com), and the Sci Tech Festival (http://azscitechfest.org/) is a wonderfully engaging opportunity for families to connect what happens inside the school day to the real – and fascinating – world around them. Sometimes I don't even wait for my kids, and go by myself!
On January 28, I had the pleasure of delivering the Governor’s proclamation for February as Arizona Science and Technology Month to the Foundation Partners at the SciTechFest kickoff event at the Arizona Science Center. It was like a mini SciTechFest in one afternoon. I am always so invigorated by the creativity, passion, and commitment of the folks who participate. I think the Renaissance Festival’s “Galileo” is the perfect example. What a great way to connect an interest that many people have to the world of STEM that they may not have thought of before. (And he did a great job getting folks to their seats…)
I’ve been to quite a few SciTechFest events in the past two years at all sorts of locations: From eating sun-grilled chicken at Besh ba-gowa Archeological park in Globe (it was cooked in just a big shiny bowl. Amazing!); to Skype-ing with a young rocket scientist at Jet Propulsion Lab from Paradise Valley Community College; to watching students and parents walk across palettes of raw eggs and NOT breaking them at Lone Mountain Elementary School in Cave Creek. (I hate to choose favorites, but that might just be it: Everyone quickly learned about the distribution of force over an area [Force = Pressure x Area] when they were surprised not to get egg on their feet!)
The energy, fun, and excitement that take place at a SciTechFest event is exactly the spark that we love to see when kids (and parents!) are LEARNING. Not only are they learning interesting facts and skills, but they are creating family memories that stay with them far beyond the Festival itself.
I am very excited for another month (or two!) of egg-defying walks and cyborg factories and Renaissance STEM – and I hope your families learn a few new things, and have a lot of fun!
On January 28, I had the pleasure of delivering the Governor’s proclamation for February as Arizona Science and Technology Month to the Foundation Partners at the SciTechFest kickoff event at the Arizona Science Center. It was like a mini SciTechFest in one afternoon. I am always so invigorated by the creativity, passion, and commitment of the folks who participate. I think the Renaissance Festival’s “Galileo” is the perfect example. What a great way to connect an interest that many people have to the world of STEM that they may not have thought of before. (And he did a great job getting folks to their seats…)
I’ve been to quite a few SciTechFest events in the past two years at all sorts of locations: From eating sun-grilled chicken at Besh ba-gowa Archeological park in Globe (it was cooked in just a big shiny bowl. Amazing!); to Skype-ing with a young rocket scientist at Jet Propulsion Lab from Paradise Valley Community College; to watching students and parents walk across palettes of raw eggs and NOT breaking them at Lone Mountain Elementary School in Cave Creek. (I hate to choose favorites, but that might just be it: Everyone quickly learned about the distribution of force over an area [Force = Pressure x Area] when they were surprised not to get egg on their feet!)
The energy, fun, and excitement that take place at a SciTechFest event is exactly the spark that we love to see when kids (and parents!) are LEARNING. Not only are they learning interesting facts and skills, but they are creating family memories that stay with them far beyond the Festival itself.
I am very excited for another month (or two!) of egg-defying walks and cyborg factories and Renaissance STEM – and I hope your families learn a few new things, and have a lot of fun!
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