SCIENCE CENTRAL INC
Programs
Hands-On Science Education Programs
SCIENCE CENTRAL'S MISSION IS TO BE A "REGIONAL RESOURCE THAT PROVIDES INSPIRING AND FUN HANDS-ON SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR ALL PEOPLE OF ALL AGES." OUR PURPOSE IS TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING REGION WITH STEM CONCEPTS IN WAYS THAT INSPIRE LIFELONG LEARNING AND FUTURE CAREERS. OUR SCIENCE CENTER PROVIDES VISITORS WITH OVER 200 PERMANENT EXHIBITS THAT EXPLORE AND DEMONSTRATE THE PHYSICAL, NATURAL, AND APPLIED SCIENCES. WE PROVIDE AN ANNUAL MEASURABLE IMPACT TO 135,000 PEOPLE IN THE REGION WITH ON-SITE VISITATION AND THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS. IN 2024-2025 NEW EXHIBITS INCLUDE AWESOME AIRE TUBES THAT TEACH VISITORS ABOUT THE KINETIC ENERGY OF THE WIND AND GRAVITY AS THEY PLACE SCARVES AND POM-POMS INTO THE SPIRALING TUBES POWERED BY AIR BLOWERS, FOLLOW THEM THROUGH THE CLEAR PLASTIC TUBES AND COLLECT THEM AS THEY EXIT AT THE TOP OF THE EXHIBIT. A NEW EXHIBIT ON DIAMONDS TEACHES GUESTS ABOUT THE "4 C'S" OF DIAMONDS: CUT, COLOR, CLARITY AND CARAT. THE MANY INDUSTRIAL USES OF DIAMONDS ARE EXPLAINED IN ADDITION TO THE MORE WELL-KNOWN JEWELRY APPLICATIONS. HANDS ON MODELS DEMONSTRATE THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF THE CARBON MOLECULES IN DIAMONDS. THIS YEAR WE INSTALLED NEW ANIMAL ENCLOSURES IN OUR NATURE NOOK. THE NEW LARGER ENCLOSURES IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR VISITORS AS THEY INTERACT WITH THE ANIMALS AND ALLOW THE ANIMALS MORE SPACE TO EXPLORE. WE PARTNER WITH THE LOCAL MASTER GARDENERS FROM PURDUE FORT WAYNE TO ENHANCE THE FOLIAGE IN THE ENCLOSURES AND PROVIDE PROPER NUTRITION FOR THE ANIMALS. VISITORS ARE ABLE INTERACT WITH THE STAFF IN THE AREA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE CARE AND FEEDING OF THE ANIMALS. OVER THE COURSE OF 2024-2025 WE PRESENTED THREE EXHIBITIONS IN OUR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS GALLERY. ON JUNE 8 WE OPENED AN EXHIBIT ENTITLED AMERICA'S MONSTER, SUPERHEROES, AND VILLAINS FEATURING HUNDREDS OF TOYS, COMIC BOOKS, GAMES, POSTERS AND MEDIA. THE VINTAGE ITEMS WERE ACCOMPANIED BY INTERPRETATIVE SIGNAGE THAT DESCRIBED THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE. IN SEPTEMBER WE OPENED AN EXHIBITION OF THE RENOWNED NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER THOMAS D. MANGELSEN. THE LIFE IN THE WILD EXHIBIT FEATURED SOME OF MANGELSEN'S FINEST IMAGES, CAPTURED AROUND THE WORLD DURING A CAREER SPANNING NEARLY 50 YEARS. IN JANUARY, THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH NASA, WE INSTALLED THE HUBBLE/WEBB TELESCOPE EXHIBIT. THIS EXHIBIT DEVELOPED BY NASA AND THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SURROUNDS VISITORS WITH COLORFUL, COMPELLING DIGITAL IMAGES OF NEBULAS, GALAXIES, START CLUSTERS AND DEEP SPACE. THE JAMES WEBB DISPLAY SHARES THE MOST RECENT INFORMATION ON PLANETS, GALAXIES, BLACK HOLES, SPACE TECHNOLOGY, AND OTHER FASCINATING COSMIC PHENOMENA. OUR PLANETARIUM CAPITAL PROJECT CONTINUES THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THIS LARGE EXHIBIT HAS STARTED. THIS EXPANSION, USING BOTH A CLASSIC STARBALL PROJECTOR AND CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL EQUIPMENT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE THE REGION'S ONLY PUBLIC PLANETARIUM IN THE REGION'S ONLY SCIENCE CENTER. A THIRD LASER PROJECTOR WILL BE USED FOR SCIENCE DEMONSTRATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. PROGRESS ON THE PLANETARIUM PUTS THE OPENING OF THIS SIGNIFICANT EXHIBITION IN THE FALL OF 2025. IN 2024-2025 SCIENCE CENTRAL HOSTED 150 STUDY TRIPS ("FIELD TRIPS") FROM SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST INDIANA AND OHIO AREA. STUDY TRIPS INCLUDE FLOOR EXPLORATION AND OFTEN SCHOOLS REQUEST ADDITIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND LABS, WHICH ARE LED BY OUR EDUCATION STAFF. OUR 668 OUTREACH PROGRAMS BROUGHT LABS, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS TO SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST INDIANA. THESE HANDS-ON PROGRAMS MEET INDIANA'S SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS AND HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND STEM CONCEPTS THAT ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND WITHOUT FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. FOLLOWING THE CHANGES NECESSITATED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, SCIENCE CENTRAL HAS BECOME ADEPT IN CREATING OUTREACH KITS (CALLED "SCIENCE2GO KITS"), WHICH ALLOW LOCAL STUDENTS TO BENEFIT FROM PERSONAL, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AS THEY FOLLOW ALONG WITH A LAB OR DEMONSTRATION PRESENTED THROUGH OUR ESTABLISHED INTERACTIVE VIDEO CONFERENCING (IVC) PROGRAM. IT HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT ACTIVITY TOWARD THE MISSION OF SCIENCE CENTRAL TO BE ABLE TO REACH THOSE WHO COULD NOT DIRECTLY VISIT OUR CENTER. MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE REMOTE SOLUTIONS FOR STEM EDUCATION FOR AS LONG AS CLASSROOMS FIND THIS OPTION USEFUL. OUR EXPANDED CATALOG OF INTERACTIVE VIDEO CONFERENCING PROGRAMMING REMAINS AVAILABLE, AS DO THE CORRESPONDING SCIENCE2GO KITS, WHICH ALLOW LOCAL AND REGIONAL STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES IN THEIR OWN HOMES OR CLASSROOMS WHILE RECEIVING REMOTE INSTRUCTION. SCIENCE CENTRAL'S PARTNERSHIPS WITH SEVERAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HELP ENSURE OUR PROGRAMMING IS FINANCIALLY ACCESSIBLE. IN THE SUMMER OF 2024 WE HOSTED SIX STUDENT EXPERIMENTS SPONSORED BY THE INDIANA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PURDUE UNIVERSITY. THE HIGH-ALTITUDE BALLOON CAMP LAUNCHED A BALLOON WITH SIX STUDENT DEVELOPED EXPERIMENTS. THE BALLOON RETURNED ATMOSPHERIC DATA AND A VIDEO FEED FOR THE CAMPERS TO EVALUATE. ALSO IN JULY WE HOSTED OUR 25TH ANNUAL EGG DROP COMPETITION. PARTICIPANTS CREATE THEIR UNIQUE DESIGNS TO PROTECT A RAW EGG AS IT IS DROPPED OFF THE ROOF BY THE LOCAL FORT WAYNE FIRE DEPARTMENT. PRIZES ARE AWARDED IN EACH AGE GROUP FOR THE CONTESTANT WHOSE DESIGN SUCCESSFULLY PROTECTED THE EGG. WE PARTNER WITH THREE LOCAL MUSEUMS TO PROVIDE A MUSEUM ACCESS PASS, A REDUCED-PRICE MEMBERSHIP FOR ALL FOUR MUSEUMS. IN 2024, WE HOSTED THREE FREE ADMISSION DAYS: DOCTORS DAY, MHS DAY, AND BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN. WE OFFER DISCOUNTED ADMISSION ON THE LAST SATURDAY OF MOST MONTHS. WE HOSTED DISABILITY DAYS (FORMERLY SPECIAL ABILITIES DAYS) WHICH ENABLED INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH DISABILITIES TO VISIT SCIENCE CENTRAL AT NO CHARGE WHILE ALSO OFFERING THEM ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO MAKE OUR SITE EVEN MORE ACCESSIBLE. THESE SPECIAL ADMISSION OPPORTUNITIES PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN EXPANDING THE REACH OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR ALL PEOPLE.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesApr 1, 2024 – Mar 31, 2025Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$2.1M
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