January 2021
Message from our Executive Director - Grateful for a New Year
The challenges of 2020 have prompted us to greet the New Year with more cheer than ever, hungry to reach better times ahead. Yet these same challenges remind us of all that we have overcome and of those that helped us persevere through what would have seemed insurmountable a year ago.
January marks 10 months since we closed our Lab's doors to the public. Yet thanks to the continued dedication and generosity of our supporters, we never stopped delivering our mission and found entirely new avenues to do so virtually. While our challenges are not over, we enter 2021 stronger because we have and will continue to persevere. We are buoyed by an amazing community of families, foundations and businesses, supporters, and volunteers, who care about our mission and will not let it cease.
Thank you to all that responded to our "Science Strengthens Communities" appeal, making it our most successful on record. Thank you to all those that continued to support our mission today and our vision for the future science center throughout the dark days of 2020. You proved to us that it goes both ways, that Communities Strengthen Science.
Nene Spivy (1/13/2021)
SAVE THE DATE
Virtual Volunteer Appreciation Event
Be sure and save-the-date for a Volunteer Victory Lap - our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event!
- Date: Sunday, February 28, 2021
- Time: 2pm-3pm
- Location (Virtual): In the comfort of your home. Broadcast coming from the Children's Science Center Lab
Even in this unprecedented time, our volunteers continue to support the Children's Science Center in valuable ways! Join us as we recognize their contributions, celebrate volunteer milestones, play a trivia game, provide an update on the state of the Lab and future Museum, and enjoy a virtual science show.
Watch for the invitation with more details soon.
Communications Volunteers Support
Thank you to the 13 volunteers who logged over 25 hours and helped spread the news about our Winter programs during December 2020. These Volunteers used their social media presence to like, share and post on their social media accounts, their neighborhood social media accounts, and their Nextdoor website.
We can't thank you enough for helping the organization this way. Nothing is more powerful than a personal recommendation from a trusted friend, neighbor, colleague or family member!
Thank you - J. Cyril; D. Dela Rosa; G. Dela Rosa; A. House; Y. Hwang; S. Niknam; A. Nutalapati; P. Nutalapati; C. Ormond; A. Patel; R. Sharma; R. Woods; and P. Samiksha.
Watch for more Communications Volunteer Support opportunities which will be shared with you soon. And be sure to follow us on the following channels:
- Facebook: @ChildrensScienceCenter
- Twitter: @ChildSci
- Instagram: @childscicenterlab
Volunteer Highlight - The Youth Advisory Board (YAB)
Volunteer. Lead. Collaborate.
A team of Innovative, Entrepreneurial and Passionate High School Students from Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. They work to forward the Children's Science Center's mission and vision through high school student volunteerism, leadership and collaboration. This month we will share information on the 5 members currently in 9th grade.
Vishana Baskaran is a 9th grader at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County. Biology is her favorite STEM field. One of the scientists she most admires is Galileo. "He dared to question (what was a common belief at that time) that the Earth was the center of the universe and made great discoveries in the process. Though no one supported him or his beliefs, he never gave up and continued to speak up for the model he believed in, even when it landed him in house arrest. He made a lasting impact on our understanding of space by constructing telescopes to observe the skies. It really inspires me to continue to stay curious and to believe in myself even when no one else does."
She would like to know why we sleep. Scientists have been researching this for years and have still not been able to find one conclusive theory about why we sleep.
Colin Burke is a 9th grader from Loudoun School for the Advanced Studies in Loudoun County and he enjoys studying Computer Science. The scientist he most admires is Dr. Anthony Fauci because he is using science to provide useful advice to the country during this pandemic.
Colin hopes to see quantum tunneling (Portals) developed in his lifetime because it would be helpful to be able to instantly transport somewhere. It would cut down on carbon waste and make it easier to transport people/materials.
Maribelle Chu is a 9th grader at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County and her favorite STEM field is Environmental Engineering. The scientist she admires the most is Dr. Elaine Ingham, who is the current founder of the Soil Food Web organization. "She revolutionized the way we think about soil and discovered the soil food web, which is a network of living organisms that supports plants and keeps the soil rich and healthy. Through her work, countless hours of research have been done regarding soil microorganisms and how they affect plants. Her soil food web research has led to a critical understanding about the harmful effects of traditional agricultural practices, and how using beneficial soil microbes can help farmers build soil and grow nutrient dense crops. All in all, Dr. Ingham's groundbreaking (literally and figuratively) discoveries changed the way we view soil - it's a living, breathing, self-conducting symphony creating music for all the organisms on Earth."
She would like to one day hear a definitive answer, to "How did life begin?"
Owen Korzak is a 9th grader at Fairfax High School in Fairfax County and he is very interested in Engineering. The scientist he most admires is John Dalton because "he invented the Atomic theory. Other scientists were then able to expand the theory to what it is today. Students are also able to learn more about what's inside of everyday products."
A question he would like answered one day is: if there will ever be a cure for cancer? He wants to work in the medical field and hopes to help contribute to a solution, since this is one of the worst diseases that has been studied for decades.
Heather Schofield is a 9th grader at TC Williams High School in Fairfax County who really enjoys Astronomy. Her favorite scientist is Chien-Shiung Wu, because she was one of the first Asian women in her field.
She hopes that she can learn how humans became humans.
See previous blogs to learn about these members. In the October blog, we introduced the Co-Chairs, Sarah Ali and Justin Burke, as well as the Vice Chair, Namitha Kapa. In the November blog, we introduced the 5 returning members from Fairfax County schools. In the December blog, we introduced the 3 returning members from Loudoun County schools.
