Museum has first STEM Science Night

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Museum has first STEM Science Night

BY CARRIE WHITAKER • CWHITAKER@ENQUIRER.COM

QUEENSGATE - Foot by foot, Michael Karaus pulled out the short intestine from Stuffee, a stuffed character used to teach children about what's inside the human body.

Students from William H. Taft Elementary School visiting the Museum of Natural History and Science on Wednesday for its very first STEM Science Night stretched the stuffed tube to the back of the group.

"Hold it up," said Karaus, an employee with the museum inside Union Terminal. "It is 21 feet long, the average length of your small intestine."

And what is the length of the large intestine?

"Forty-two feet," a child hollered.

"Sixty-eight feet," another said.

Karaus settled the guessing game, explaining that the large intestine is 7-10 feet long and called the large intestine not because of its length, but its width.

STEM Night was the culmination of three years of work by employees at the Museum Center and their partners at the University of Cincinnati's Economics Center for Education and Research.

"Science, technology, engineering and math are things we already do in our programs," said Regina Hall, director of the Museum of Natural History & Science. "We thought wouldn't this be great if we could make this our family night?"

She said it's the first science family night the museum has had since she was hired 13 years ago. They hope it won't be the last.

Taft Elementary School reopened two years ago with all new teachers and a focus on STEM curriculum.

On Wednesday night, 87 percent of the student body attended the event. About a quarter of their parents attended as well.

"Part of this is to encourage parents to encourage their children into a STEM career," said the museum's director of school programs at the museum, Karen Venetian.

Crystal Gowen was impressed. She tagged along with her 10-year-old daughter Madison. Her son was in another group. The museum allowed parents to bring along other family members, so 5-year-old Julia got to come along, too.

Gowen transferred her children to the Cincinnati Public School because of the STEM program from Taylor Mill in February.

"It's really cool they let us come," Gowen said of herself and youngest daughter. "The kids were so excited."