A New-Style Science Faire

Paint Branch High School launched their Science and Media Signature Expo March 15^th.

It is a new take on their traditional annual science fair.

“We knew we were losing the students with the traditional story boarded report of past experiments,” said Brian Eichenlaub, Signature Coordinator at Paint Branch. “We wanted as much motion, and actual demonstration as we could get.”

“In years past, we held our science fairs during the school day, attended mostly by science students. This year we moved it to the evening, and had an audience of almost four hundred students, parents and people who support the school entertained by over 100 projects with light, sound, and motion.”

The Signature Media Expo looked like a circus and a carnival, objects in the air, water spouting, and teachers racing for a vacuum cleaner to clean up spilled powder.

It was a happy confusion, hugely entertaining, and a lot of learning going on.

Where are you seeing education breakthroughs?

About...People

BK and I were talking about Iowa, (one of the vowel states, according to Sid Pearl.)

I said I had a friend, Drew McClelland, in Iowa, a noted blogger.

BK asked what Drew blogs about.

I hesitated and then said “About...people.”

Ever since I have been rolling that around in my brain.

Drew's Marketing Minute is chock full of useful observations, great thoughts, and ideas to make me proud to be human. And, through it all, a great blog is about...people.

And of course, readers who comment!

GovLoop Member of the Week

GovLoop is a social network of over 40,000 government stakeholders. They have a history of pushing the limits of value for their members by introducing new campaigns, events, and thinking in cyber and physical arenas

They do good parties for grownups. 

This week I am honored to be the GovLoop Member of the Week. I've been a twice-a-week contributor for a couple of years, not for any reward, because I said I would do it. Along the way, I've learned a lot more than I contributed.

Thank you,

The Luhhhv Connection

Watching as new ideas turn into businesses or not, I am amused by how the cycle follows falling in love. And how many people keep getting stuck at the same early stage, then bailing out, and starting over.

First is infatuation, total concentration on the subject.

Then there is a honeymoon period, where support from the world buoys the relationship.

Next is a period of learning about each other, building value.

After that (if you're lucky) is a period of developing strength, synergies, pride and success.

Which should get you to a period of enhanced performance, ostentatious display of mastery, when the rest of the world notices.

Mergers, jobs, sales, often follow this pattern.

Start-ups are for young guys, finish-ups are for rich guys.

Comment if you can help extend the idea.

Washington Math Science and Technology High School

The Washington DC Math, Science and Technology Public Charter High School is one of the top schools in the area. I have been judging at this school for over 6 years.

To the Scientists of the Washington Math, Science and Technology Public Charter High School, congratulations!

Today we have seen a hundred experiments and projects and much new knowledge.

You have proven you can conceptualize, invent, overcome problems, and give the world answers.

The next time someone comes to you and asks you to do something you have never done before, you can say, “I know how to do that!” and you will be telling the truth, because you have shown you can figure things out, complete a project, and report your results.

Those are pretty important things to know how to do.

On behalf of the Washington Academy of Sciences, we welcome you to the community of scientists and salute your achievements.