Lower School Science Night inspires scientific curiosity

Glue, boric acid, and shaving cream combined together in plastic cups to create stretchy concoctions of slime, enthralling the children in the room.

The Lower School Science Night took place on Apr. 5. Volunteers from the Upper School taught Lower Schoolers how to make slime and oobleck, craft paper airplanes, and explore the potential of mirrors.

Sophomore Gavin Kimmel explains why he decided to help out at the Science Night.

“I’ve always loved helping little kids. Also, when I was in the Lower School I was never able to do the exploration nights, like the book fair and stuff. So now I think it’d be fun to help the children,” he said.

Senior Adelia Bergner was one of the Upper School students helping with the slime-making activity.

She helped pour glue into cups, set out the food coloring and warned the Lower Schoolers not to use too much, and explained the science behind how boric acid activated the slime.

“I decided to volunteer for Science Night because I did it last year and it was really fun,” she said. “I love science and I love spreading my love of science to other people, especially little kids. Studies have shown that when you introduce really cool ideas to little kids and show them that it’s fun, they grow up still enjoying it.”

The tables became covered with sticky slime from spills and stray stains from food coloring and glitter, but Bergner didn’t mind.

You can see the individuality of all the kids.

— Adelia Bergner

“I just like seeing the kids’ faces light up as they’re making the slime. Everyone gets really, really into it, which is cool because you can see the individuality of all the kids. Some of them made orange slime or really glittery slime. Some of them made weird green goo, but it was still fun,” she said.

The Lower School Science Night takes place every year. If engaging kids with interesting science activities sounds appealing, consider signing up next year.