By ASHWIN SARASWATULA, sophomore

ON JUNE 1, the JP Stevens Chem Club helped organize a Children’s Science Day, an annual chemistry demonstration show geared toward 4th and 5th graders in elementary schools across Edison who want to learn more about the wonders of science.

“This event is a great opportunity for younger students to witness the fun and magic in science,” said Mr. DiFilippo, a chemistry teacher and attendee of the event.

The morning began with a warm welcome from the Chem Club, who had spent many hours over the past month planning this event. Every year, the Children’s Science Day is a highly anticipated event that brings the kids of Edison to JP Stevens. The club’s Executive Board led the event as Lobby Activity Leaders who helped set up activities at each designated table. Additionally, they worked with the children at the tables on the activities and helped them enter data into their lab journals.

A clean up crew, consisting of dedicated volunteers, was present at the event in order to keep track of the experiments and surroundings were clean and safe. Numerous families attended the event with their children and were greeted by student volunteers, led by sophomore Danial Ahmed. The student volunteers were in charge of collecting the mandatory $2 fee, stamping each child’s hand, and distributing the lab notebooks.

Seniors Abhinav Rajasekar and Divyesh Nemam were in charge of selling food, like water, candy, and chips, near the registration tables in the lobby. The Chem Club volunteers and participants began setting up their activity stations around 10:00 a.m. This included setting up their experiments, so that they could easily be performed when the kids arrived. The elementary schoolers began to fill the gym around 11:00 a.m., and were guided around as they explored each activity.

The event began with the studentrun stations and demonstrations. Tables with various activities were set up all along the gym walls so the kids could walk around and try each experiment. In the center of the room games and activities were present. Each child took turns participating in the various activities.

One interesting activity that took place in the center of the room was called “Robot Cones.” An obstacle course was set up using bright orange cones, and the kids were able to witness the robot maneuver its way through the obstacle courses into the finish line. This demonstration was led by senior Neeraj Mula, and left the children in awe at the spectacle.

Another experiment the kids enjoyed was the “Molecular Model Magic” activity. This activity allowed the kids to interact with materials such as Model Magic Clay and Crayola Markers in order to build scientific models. The elementary students were inspired by their creations and were guided by sophomore Fiza Patel and senior Vidisha Jha.

“What I enjoyed most from the event were the kids,” said Vidisha Jha. “They got so excited about their little clay molecules, and it was like I could see them learning.”

This excitement was present throughout the entire event for the kids. From experiment to experiment, each and every kid was captivated by the science that was demonstrated for them. Another activity that left the children captivated was the “Surface Tension” experiment. The group, led by junior Prathyush Ravula, used two pennies to demonstrate the properties of water. The end result involved explaining why a greater amount of water could stay on the penny than alcohol.

“I enjoyed teaching kids about the properties of water and demonstrating them through various experiments,” said Prathyush Ravula. “It was very fun, and I thought it was worth it at the end.”

The student-run demonstrations came to a halt as the event was nearing the end. Science Day finished with special largescale demonstrations on the stage by Mrs. Pittenger and Ms. Tujague. As the morning came to a close, many children wanted to remain and continue watching the engaging science presentations, as well as finish the projects that they were participating in. The Chem Club once again succeeded in hosting a Science Day with a large turnout. The Children’s Science Day, in addition to being a fun-filled day, provided younger kids with the opportunity to learn and enjoy science. The combined efforts of both students and staff allowed for an educational day enjoyed by the volunteers and participants alike.

“It was great seeing JPS students teaching STEM to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders that attended!” said Chem Club Advisor, Mrs. Pittinger. The Chem Club exceeded their expectations during Children’s Science Day and will hopefully continue to produce many more outstanding and educational events in the years to come