Physical science program
reaches out to students
Francesca van der Feltz
Mesa Legend
Linda La Benz’s fifth grade class from Glendale’s new
Desert Spirit Elementary School went to college and made slime on
their first day back from spring break.
Armed with notebooks and curious minds, 22 fifth-graders participated
in several hands-on activities March 29 at one of MCC’s Physical
Science Outreach Program events on campus.
The science outreach effort at MCC started about nine years ago
and focused solely on geology, said Donna Benson, the MCC geology
instructor who initiated the program.
Within a few years, all of the physical science departments became
part of the program, which invited mostly disadvantaged children
onto campus to explore science, Benson added.
About 1,000 children visit MCC every year for physical science outreach
events, taught by about 800 MCC student volunteers from science
and education classes, Benson said.
“There’s so many benefits to it,” she said. “It’s
fun for the kids; it’s fun for our college students. It’s
great for me to see my students who are taking the class this semester
teach the kids a concept that they just learned.”
The open-discussion, hands-on events give both the volunteers and
the children increased confidence with science, Benson said.
“It’s the most beneficial field trip that we’ve
ever gone on,” said La Benz, who has been bringing her elementary
school classes to science outreach events at MCC for eight years.
The children learn about more than just science while they are on
campus, La Benz added.
“We come here for the science; we come here for the hands-on
activities, but the biggest thing is that they get into the college
environment and that when they leave here they are talking about
college and going to college,” La Benz said.
“That is huge for these kids,” La Benz added, explaining
that many of the children never considered college a possibility.
During the event, the children made slime, putty, comets and volcanoes
and participated in several other activities with one-on-one attention
from college students.
John Weide of MCC’s chemistry department colorfully dyed his
hair and assumed his role as “Dr. Weirdo,” performing
his “chemistry magic” and sparking the children’s
enthusiasm and curiosity.
After almost three hours of science, the children sat down to a
lunch of pizza provided by the MCC Geology Club and talked with
student volunteers about science and going to college.
Brittany Plaza, 10, said she loved science and mixing things, and
planned to ask her mom if she could go to college.
Ramon Villezcas, 11, said college was cool and that he planned to
attend MCC.
“This is the best field trip ever,” Villezcas added.
“You know that you have an impact on the kids. And it’s
just one day, you just get them for … a couple of hours and
it sticks with them,” Benson said.
The outreach events inspired some of the children to pursue science
as a focus of their studies in later years, Benson said.
The experiences have also encouraged some MCC students to become
education majors, Benson added.
Scott Ruecker of the MCC Geology Club said he took time off from
work on March 29 because he loves working at the science outreach
events.
“My favorite part of teaching has always been trying to figure
out how they learn,” Ruecker said. He added that teaching
is a higher level of learning for him.
Every year the geology club harvests and sells pink salt crystals
to help the physical science department fund the outreach events,
Ruecker said.
Dean of Instruction Gail Mee and Associate Dean Carol Achs also
provide funding for all of the science outreach events, Benson said.
Schools composed of students that are defined by government standards
as disadvantaged are selected to attend events through recommendations
from people involved in the MCC science outreach programs and by
requests from the schools, according to Benson.
Headed by Benson, Weide and Heidi Van Tassell of the physics and
astronomy department, MCC’s Physical Science Outreach Program
is unequaled, Benson said.
“Probably the key focus … which makes us so different
from any other outreach program is that we’re interdisciplinary
and all hands-on,” Benson explained.
In 2002 the physical science department teamed up with the life
science department, which has its own outreach program, to hold
the first annual Science Day, a large interdisciplinary event attended
by hundreds of elementary school children, Benson said.
Science Day currently incorporates life sciences, chemistry, physics,
geology, astronomy, geography, anthropology and engineering into
a science fair format.
The third annual Science Day was held March 2, but it will be moved
from its usual spring date to a fall date in future years, Benson
said. The spring date interfered with the current testing schedules
of the elementary schools, Benson explained.
“So many of the elementary schools get a very small exposure
to science, and this may be in some instances the only science that
they get in education. So if we can expand that a little bit by
having them here…then we’re going to do it,” said
Andrew Baldwin of MCC’s life science department, who participated
in the March 2 Science Day.
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