Mountain Avenue Elementary's Science Fair Rocks the House!

Students, parents, families, local scientists and even school board members attended the second annual science and engineering fair at in La Crescenta on April 15.

The science fair ran for three days and students were able to explain all of the projects to their classes during this time. Projects within the fields of physics, astronomy, chemistry, earth science, engineering, and biology were all represented at the fair.

Event co-chairs (and Mountain Ave parents) Dr. Saty Raghavachary and Dr. Jackie Bodnar were enthusiastic about this event. "This is our second science fair at Mountain Avenue and we had 100 kids participate. Our mission is to help the students get excited about science and technology," said Raghavachary.

Raghavachary continued: "It is grass root efforts like these science fairs that can help inspire our children to take an interest in science-based careers in the future. There is a national initiative under President Obama to encourage and promote STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] programs to help put the United States in the lead in these areas. Kids need to not just read about science, they need to do it hands on! I am proud to be part of this event."

Bodnar chimed in "Science is fun!"

One excited student, Jacob Strong, presented an experiment wherein he baked  muffins in a solar oven and then compared them to muffins cooked in a regular oven. "The muffins from the sun oven were really doughy and messy, but they still tasted good," Strong said regarding his findings.  

First grader Katie Lee joined in with Joylene Wagner, Glendale Unified School Board member, in learning about static electricity firsthand by touching a Voss Machine. Their hair stood straight up on their heads as they touched the metal dome that produced electrostatic energy.

Wagner commented: "This was an electrifying experience! I love to see children engaged in learning. They are our future."

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) teamed up with the science fair to transform a whole classroom into a planetarium where children watched a movie about stars and planets. JPL also brought out a model of the Mars Rover and children laid down on the stage and the rover ran right across their backs!

Stations were set up inside the auditorium where children could do hands on activities with solids and liquids, magnets, as well as learn about pressure and how rockets fly. Some of the science fair participants even brought in live animals as part of their projects including bunnies, turtles and frogs.

The courtyard was filled with alka seltzer rockets and other experiments for children to participate in. Mountain Avenue alumni, Joy McCreary, now a freshman at , came to support the science fair. "This is a really great opportunity for kids to see real life forces in the environment and explore their world," Mc Creary stated.

Editor's Note: In a previous version of this article, Dr. Saty Raghavachary quotes were erroneously attributed to Dr. Jackie Bodnar.