The Science Vortex in Cottonwood hosts many educational events for children to learn about STEM topics and 21st century skills.
Kids’ Night Out takes place once a month from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and provides at least two hands-on STEM activities each night. Science Vortex Director Laurie Altringer said that it’s one of the only programs, besides their summer camp, at which parents can drop their children off for the duration of the event. All of the kids who participate also receive an activity they can do at home afterwards.
Kids’ Night Out started as a chief science officer program action plan, and was so successful it was turned into a monthly program. The CSOs typically come up with the activities for the night. This past Saturday, kids got to make and launch rockets as part of the program.
The chief science officer program is run out of the SciTech Institute in Phoenix as a way to enable students to be STEM ambassadors in their communities.
“Not only does it make the students aware of STEM careers and opportunities, but it also helps the community in that each CSO creates an action plan,” Altringer said.
Previous activities included a STEM bingo event and a cow eye dissection for seventh and eighth-graders. Altringer commented that some of the new CSOs are interested in aviation, so their plan might incorporate aerospace themes.
CSOs are sixth- through twelfth-graders who participate in STEM events throughout the year and promote STEM learning and awareness in their community. This is the third year that the Science Vortex has participated in the program, which currently includes students from the sixth through ninth grades, and the first year that sixth-graders have participated.
Two of the CSOs are also on the Arizona Leadership Council and will be training the new CSOs at a leadership training institute. Altringer shared that two of their CSOs went to a STEM conference in Florida and were able to sit at a table with STEM professionals.
The Science Vortex is currently looking for more CSOs. Those interested can register online or email info@sciencevortex.org to attend the leadership training institute. Any student who is enrolled in the sixth through twelfth grades in the Verde Valley is welcome to become a CSO.
“Just about every stem activity that we do here is hard,” Altringer said. “What we say at the Science Vortex is if you fail, it’s your first attempt in learning. It’s a great opportunity for kids to stick with it and then have the reward of success.”
Altringer is also an algebra teacher and wants those coming into her class to be able to stick with a problem and show determination.
“The more that we can give them all these opportunities that we have in the Science Vortex, the better we see student performance,” Altringer said.
The Science Vortex also hosts Family Makerspace every Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. This free event always offers a different project, but families are also welcome to come and use the space for learning and play.
Upcoming Kids’ Night Out events will be held on:
- Saturday, Sept. 16
- Saturday, Oct. 21
- Saturday, Dec. 16
