Looking ahead, Majda said one of the goals the Discovery Center has is to work with Santa Paula Unified School District to develop methods for tracking participation and the impact the Family Science Night events have on the community.
SPUSD/Discovery Center Family Science Nights held at schools
November 30, 2016
Santa Paula News
Research shows that parent participation dramatically increases student test scores and enjoyment of learning. Family Science Nights ire one of the ways to support this effort. Santa Paula Unified School District and the Discovery Center for Science and Technology have partnered together to offer Family Science Nights as a way to engage parents and their children by having students gain a more positive appreciation for science, more confidence in doing science, and a greater interest in possibly pursuing a career in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) field. Students and family members who attend Family Science Night get a hands-on opportunity to learn about chemistry, optical illusions, motion, biology and more.
“It’s an opportunity for kids to experience science hands-on,” said Emma Posadas, coordinator of A.S.P.I.R.E. (After-School Program for Instruction, Recreation, and Enrichment)/Intervention and Family Science Nights for SPUSD. “The students have their families here and it makes it more engaging for them.”
The first Family Science Night of the school year was held at Grace Thille Elementary School on Thursday, September 27 and the second one was held at Glen City Elementary School on Thursday, October 13. The next and final Family Science Nights will be held at Blanchard Elementary School (for both Blanchard and McKevett Elementary Schools) on Thursday, November 17 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. and at Barbara Webster Elementary School (for both Barbara Webster and Bedell Elementary Schools) on Wednesday, December 7 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
“Research shows that if kids are not interested in science by 5th grade, they are not very likely to pursue a career in science and engineering as a young adult,” said Kristin Majda, coordinator of Family Science Night for the Discovery Center for Science and Technology. “My goal and the goal of all of my volunteers is to help kids see how much fun science can be and to get them asking about the world around them.”
