Edmond Aylus Branch hosted their last science workshop for the summer which had seventeen participants, where they explained the chemistry behind invisible messages and the physics behind buoyancy and weight distributions.
Jacob taught for the first two, using baking soda mixed in with water and turmeric mixed with rubbing alcohol for the invisible messages. The acid and base reacted together, causing a color change that revealed the message. For the buoyancy, he used a ping-pong ball and a cup filled with water, which would allow the ball to be launched higher when dropped.
Judy and Joanna taught for the last one, where they used toothpicks and marshmallow sticks to have the kids engage in a competition to build the highest tower. They allowed kids to figure things out on their own, stepping in with suggestions and explanations about reinforcements when anyone was curious or struggling.
At the end, thank you cards and gifts created by Jacob were handed out to the children, to encourage further participation in STEM.
During this, several other volunteers were working to keep the workshop running smoothly by passing out materials and snacks while keeping the participants entertained, engaged, and thinking, in addition to cleaning up at the end.
Kelvin Xue, Kevin Su, Sophia Long, Emma Brazil (1 Hour 20 Min)
Joanna Liu, Judy Liu (1 Hour 50 Min)
Jacob Meng (4 Hour 20 Min, Different Days)
