Genesis: Pathways to Success enjoyed a strong second week of A Summer of STREAM with over 600 attendees.
(Ripley County, Ind.) – Genesis: Pathways to Success enjoyed a strong second week of A Summer of STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art and Math) programming as they welcomed Newport Aquarium’s WAVE Foundation and their facilities mobile water displays in communities throughout Ripley County. In total, the exhibitions reached over 660 participants.
The WAVE Foundation visited Milan Bridge of Hope Worship Center and Napoleon Community Building on Tuesday June 6, Sunman City Park on Wednesday June 7 and Liberty Park in Batesville and Holdsworth Entertainment Pavilion in Versailles on Friday June 9. . Each day featured different exhibits, including the ‘Croc Talk’, ‘Tide Pool Creatures’ and ‘Science of Sharks’ exhibits respectively. These exhibits were open to all and gave attendees an up-close experience of some of the sea’s most intriguing creatures.
Attendees were given the opportunity to view and interact with live creatures ranging from alligators, to horseshoe crabs, to Coral Cat sharks! This allowed community members to meet and engage with wildlife that could not otherwise be seen locally. Attendees also learned about these creatures’ habitats, biological processes, and defining features, which, while not overtly related to the immediate environment of Southeast Indiana, served to connect those students to the natural world. Particularly important in this regard was the focus of these exhibits on using aquatic fauna to encourage learning in children and young people.
This sentiment was echoed by Chris Loftus, one of the presenters of the ‘Science of Sharks’ exhibit, when asked about his favorite aspect of setting up these Mobile Aquatics Exhibits, “Seeing the kids get excited. When they learn they can be part of science, can engage with it in their communities and be motivated about science education, that’s what’s exciting. A lot of kids think of science as a distant thing, so it’s good to see them realize that she is approachable and fun.” Accessible and fun is exactly what these exhibits were, and as Chris alludes to, they allowed children to encounter science outside of the classroom in a closer and more tangible way.
Beyond aspects of scholarly engagement, these exhibitions served as community events and occasions to gather in public spaces. The value of friendship and community building cannot be overstated, and each exhibition was well attended.
Genesis: Pathways to Success would like to thank the WAVE Foundation of Newport Aquarium for being an incredible partner and bringing their Mobile Water Exhibits to Ripley County. We would also like to thank the cities of Batesville, Milan, Napoleon, Sunman and Versailles for welcoming us to
community spaces and to encourage education at the local level. Genesis looks forward to partnering with the WAVE Foundation again in the near future.
If you would like to learn additional information about this summer event, please visit www.genesisp2s.org. If you have questions about A Summer of STREAM, please contact Genesis: Pathways to Success Director Clarice Patterson by emailing cpatterson@genesisp2s.org, calling 812-933-1098, or visiting 13 E. George Street , Suite B, Batesville, IN 47006.
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