SCIENCE EXPO

Lamar Light and Power began hosting the Science Expo in 1996, and because the response from both children and teachers was so positive we began hosting the Expo every year, and in 2001 we changed to every 2 years. It is a popular event and one that the children look forward to, and remember throughout their school years.

The Science Expo is a hands on learning experience held daily for two weeks; it consists of 10-12 science experiment stations. Children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited from Lamar, Wiley, McClave, Granada, Holly, and Springfield, Eads, Plainsview, Walsh, and Vilas schools. We had approximately 780 children come to the Expo in 2007.

During the 2007 Science Expo we did experiments related to the five senses: Sight, Taste, Touch, Smell, and Hearing. We also did an experiment with milk and food coloring, which turned out to be a favorite of the younger children. Kids were able to take home a keepsake in the form of their own art work, made from T-shirt cotton, markers and rubbing alcohol. One experiment that was truly amazing to watch was the microwaving soap exhibit. Here we placed a piece of Ivory soap in the microwave for a period of time. The soap grew to about 3 times its size, and looked like a big piece of foam. Very COOL! Lamar Light and Power would never host a Science Expo without our very favorites, one of them being the Energy Bikes. Here kids can ride stationary bicycles to generate electricity which make light bulbs turn on, buzzers buzz, and even provide enough electricity to turn on an oscillating fan. Last but not least the all time favorite Science Expo demonstration is the Static Electricity Ball. Usually the most entertaining, this experiment gets the most “Oh Cool” and “WOW”. During this demonstration we show how a low voltage electrical current will travel to all parts of the body. The electrical current makes the hair on the kid’s heads and arms stand straight up. It also provides Lamar Light and Power with an arsenal of fun pictures for our Newsletter and scrap book.

We are so proud of our Science Expo, and want to express how much we enjoy hosting this wonderful learning experience for the children within the Lamar School District and surrounding schools. We can’t help but let our inner child come out when we host the event, and we sometimes wonder if we are having more fun than the kids!