Report from ACS-GHS Community Affairs Committee Chair Kerry Spilker:

The ACS-GHS had the opportunity to participate in the STEM Expo hosted by San Jacinto College on October 24th at the Central Campus. Ann Cartwright and Cheryl Sellers were on hand to make sure the evening, events and hands-on experiments went off without a hitch. Ruben Ramirez, the Lab Supervisor, came up with the crazy ideas for projects to deliver an exciting evening for all that attended.

Cheryl Seller, Director of Community Relations with Ann Cartwright, STEM Council Co-Chair

The evening was a collaborative effort with over 150 student/teacher volunteers with additional help from the Police Department, Safety, Health, Environment and Risk Management Department, Market, PR and Government Affairs Department and Maintenance Department. The STEM Expo featured Mathematics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, Ocearch, Aerospace, the SJC Foundation and the American Chemical Society-Greater Houston Section. R2D2 was on hand to meet and greet all that passed through the halls.

Set up began at 3:00 pm followed by safety training to be ready for the crowds at 5 pm. The chemistry stations included Shrinky Dinks, Slime, Wave Machine, Acid-Base Demo, Chemistry in a bag, Skewer A Balloon and Divers. The classic chemistry demos were a collection of experimental procedures donated by Mamie Moy. Kerry Spilker, ACS-GHS Community Affairs Committee Chair, hosted two tables titled, Unicorn Milk to demonstrate the concept of interfacial tension.

Of course, the stars of the evening were the 500 plus special guests ranging in age from 7 – 70 years of age. The guests are part of the Communities in Schools Outreach whose mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and succeed in life. Students participating in the program stay in school longer with improved academics and behavior.

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