Photo: Roosevelt, Conger Elementary School students taking part in an assembly by OMSI Wednesday, Feb. 7 at Roosevelt Elementary School.
Roosevelt Elementary School and Conger Elementary School students took part in countless chemistry experiments this past Wednesday as part of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) React-O-Blast outreach education program.
OMSI Outreach Educator, Marco Anderson, hand-picked countless Conger and Roosevelt students to take part in experiments and help broaden their interest in science.
KFCS Board of Education Vice Chair, Ashley Wendt-Lusich, helped bring OMSI to the school district for an assembly after planning with Roosevelt Principal, Scott Olsen, back in October.
Wendt-Lusich spoke with friend and member of Ferguson Elementary School’s Booster Club, Carrie Dickson, after OMSI had plans to visit two Klamath County School District schools as well this week.
Photo: OMSI Outreach Educator, Marco Anderson, right, with a demonstration during an
assembly Wednesday, Feb. 7 at Roosevelt Elementary School.
With Conger, Mills, Pelican and Roosevelt being Title I-A schools, OMSI matches 50 percent of costs for its visits, making one of two assemblies at Roosevelt free of cost.
With OMSI making several stops through Klamath Falls, as well as a school in Ashland, it helped keep travel costs low for organizers.
Wendt-Lusich was eager to bring OMSI to KFCS after she recalled something from her childhood which she gained much from.
"I remember being in elementary school here in the district, actually, a part of DI (Destination Imagination) and took a trip to OMSI. We had a whole workshop. Other than that, there were no other trips to Portland for OMSI for students," Wendt-Lusich said. "Some of these kids won't leave Klamath Falls, or will not get the opportunity to see what OMSI has to offer, so it was great we were able to have them come here."
Students from Conger in kindergarten through second grade took a bus to Roosevelt for the assembly and were left puzzled after they were able to learn what causes various chemical reactions. Anderson saved his best experiments for the end as students were able to light a flame in a tube after blowing into a straw.
"Conger was so appreciative to be invited so our K-2 students could take part and experience how OMSI engages students with eye-popping experiments and leaves them with a curiosity about science," Conger Principal, Sara Johnson, said.
"It worked out we were able to collaborate and share having OMSI visit. It was fun; it was neat," Wendt-Lusich said. "I thought he (Anderson) did a good job keeping them engaged with all the different experiments. I think a lot of the students took something away with them today."
