Neighbor News
Fun and Learning with Science
By: Shruti Pokharna ,Grade 7, Diamond Middle School, Lexington, MA
Science is the systematized knowledge of nature and the physical world. It has shaped us and our surroundings, however, it is very complex. With so many branches, concepts and experiments to carry out, it is easy to get lost.
Aayush Mehta, a Junior at Westford Academy, explained some concepts using slideshows and conducted two experiments in structured manner for seven of us middle schoolers. He is really driven to help the fellow peers in curiosity for science.
Aayush first introduced us about chemiluminescence and DNA and afterwards we experimented with both the topics. We made luminescence and extracted strawberry DNA and that of our own DNA too. Chemiluminescence is the emission of light as a result of a chemical reaction. For experiment, we mixed a solution of luminol and hydrogen peroxide with bleach. This when poured together immediately start to glow a brilliant fluorescent blue. I could understand the concept much better because of the informative explanation and hands-on experiment. For the DNA experiments, Aayush taught us the procedure for extracting strawberry and our own DNA. We all under his guidance got successful results in both the experiments.
Aayush’s subject matter knowledge and understanding of concepts was excellent, it clearly demonstrates his leadership skills and drive to teach his peers.We had a fun filled, educational, hands-on experience with Aayush. His dedication, expertise, communication skills and all the preparations he did made our science experiment experience complete.
Thank You Aayush Mehta for spreading the STEM activities to other curious minds.
