GILROY
– If you’re a middle school student who has ever wanted to
dissect a cow’s eyeball, you’re in luck.
By Lori Stuenkel
GILROY – If you’re a middle school student who has ever wanted to dissect a cow’s eyeball, you’re in luck.
At Gavilan College’s third annual Science Alive, students in grades five through eight are invited to explore the joy and intrigue of science through fun, hands-on activities. The event will take place Jan. 31, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Gavilan’s main campus, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd.
“These are hands-on activities and things that kids have shown a lot of interest in,” said Jan Bernstein Chargin, Gavilan’s public information officer. “Some people, especially young people, might be scared off by math and science, and they might not realize that the things they like to do – seeing how a robot works, taking care of an animal … are math and science.”
Students can choose from a variety of workshops – there are 16 offered – including “A Cow’s Eye View,” presented by Dr. Dennis Harrigan of Gilroy Veterinary Hospital. The workshop teaches the anatomy of the eye through dissecting a cow’s eyeball.
Other activities include operating robots with NASA’s Mark Leon in “Robots and You,” or learning how to make a television show with representatives from Gilroy’s public access TV station, Community Media Access Partnership. Gilroy Fire Department will present “First Aid for Kids,” and The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose will offer a workshop on pet rescue. Students can also build an electric motor, explore inside a computer and learn about chance.
“Those are the skills that they’re going to need,” Chargin said. “And it really helps them to see the hands-on application.”
Gavilan holds the program each year to build middle schoolers’ interest in science and math, while giving them exposure to a college campus, Chargin said.
Parents can also start thinking about their children’s eduction with workshops about financial aid.
“If (students are) thinking about math and science as careers and going to college, the best time for them to start planning is before high school,” Chargin said.
Science Alive is open to as many as 240 students from schools within the Gavilan district, including Hollister and Morgan Hill. Buses are available to transport students from Hollister and Morgan Hill.
The morning will begin with a welcome address from Leon. Then, students will attend two workshops before eating lunch. A third workshop will follow lunch.
Registration costs $10, which includes lunch. A limited number of need-based scholarships are available.
Brochures are available at each middle school, or for more information or to register for Science Alive, visit Gavilan’s Web site at www.gavilan.edu/sciencealive, or the college’s MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement) office, at 848-4887.
