Before the fair even began, Los Medanos Elementary was already buzzing with excitement. I helped my team set up our table and display to be as visually appealing as it could be. We worked extremely hard to find out which combination of solutions and which technique would get us the best bubbles we could produce, without popping as easily.
Our AP Biology students worked really hard to put this together for the kids. I saw them setting up their own tables, while occasionally taking the time out to help others. The kids, once they arrived, were excitedly trotting up and down the expanse of the fair, taking in the activities available for them to enjoy.
The kids that I observed were really excited about the activities that they participated in. They cheered in victory once they won their race, gasped in awe once they finally got to bounce a bubble that didn't pop on their hands. They munched happily o their ice cream while they admired the colorful lava lamps on display. Parents, once they saw how much fun the children were having, often smiled too, residual excitement evident on their faces.
I was able to take away a lot of things from this experience. I learned that when presented to them in a fun way, how much science can really interest a child. I learned that when presented with the opportunity to touch, eat, and see their creations, children become intrigued. I learned that when presented with situations like this, different from our daily routine, some people truly break out of their shells and are able to interact with others easily. I now understand that science is a much broader field than what I originally thought. It's not just labs, analysis, interpretation of data, or merely simulating populations. Science is much more than that. It's the reason why one can make homemade ice cream and DIY lava lamps, why we can make solutions that turn solid when touched and run fluidly when left alone, why bubbles that don't pop can be made. Most importantly, from this experience, the most valuable thing that I learned was that two sets of people from the same community and seemingly different worlds can be brought together by science, and that is what's truly amazing about it.
