`Everything Edison’ Discover Summer Offers
Every summer for the past 12 years, Jinny Baeckler, director of the Plainsboro Library, and her staff have turned the library into one of the season’s hottest hangouts for families and children. Each year they build their summer program around a different and exciting “”discovery theme”” aimed at getting kids excited about learning. This year’s theme is “”Everything Edison,”” and the focus is on the interests, experiments, “”firsts,”” and failures of the great New Jersey inventor.
“”We look for a theme which has rich programming and educational potential for adults and children alike,”” says Baeckler. “” This way the staff and the public have an informal way of educating themselves. Also in the selection formula is our knowledge of existing and/or potential volunteers in the community.”” Recent themes have included The Lenape and Leonardo DaVinci.
This year’s volunteers , all from Plainsboro include Maureen Jordan, arts workshop; : Steve Judd, family science; e: Spartaco Liberi, bocce; Ruth Levy, embroidery, Alison Kwok, arts workshop; Karen Howard Predale, arts worksho; and Raj Tanikella, robotics. “”We could not begin to do our program without these volunteers,”” says Baeckler.
Dozens of workshops are being offered during the five-week summer program, most of them taught by volunteers – scientists and experts from the community. The “”Starlab”” features some of Thomas Edison’s experiments with space, with a visiting planetarium back by popular demand. The Improvmania Players, the library’s own performance troupe, will present “”Vaudeville,”” a skit specially created around vaudeville, a form of theater that was all the rage in Edison’s time. The Family Science Lab recreates some of Edison’s elementary experiments with electricity, optics, and magnetism.
Baeckler says her goal is to lead children to learn what they want, instead of telling them what they should learn. Many libraries build their summer programs around the distribution of reading lists and giving children a star or sticker for each one they finish. “”That’s not the best kind of program for a child who might be dyslexic or learning challenged in some way,”” says Baeckler. “”The idea behind our program is to stir the pot, be a gateway, generate excitement.””
According to Baeckler, so far this summer there are 150 kids participating in “”Everything Edison.”” For every subject and workshop, the library has an array of books for children to choose from. “”For example, if we do a workshop on Edison and his love of music, when they’re done with the concert or designing a musical instrument of their own, the kids can pick up a book or CD-ROM and go home and learn even more.””
Though this year’s focus is Edison, additional workshops are designed to tickle a young scientist’s fancy. “”Red, White, and Blue SLIME,!”” was recently presented by scientists John Layga and Zeinab Elshenawy from FMC in Plainsboro.
Elshenawy, who immigrated from Egypt 21 years ago, has been a chemist at FMC for 15 years. She moved to Bucks County a year and a half- ago with her husband and three children, but lived in Plainsboro for 12 years. She has been involved with the Plainsboro Library’s summer program essentially since it was launched.
“”I like to make kids understand that science is fun,”” she says. “”They get excited, and it’s like a game. They feel like they’re playing, not straining the brain with information. It takes a lot of energy to teach young children. We may feel tired, but when I look into their eyes and see the excitement and sense of wonder, it’s worth it.””
Elshenawy, whose 18-year-old daughter is studying pre-med at the College of New Jersey, relishes her role in opening up science to girls.
“”We tell them that science is not only for men,”” says Elshenawy. “”Girls are more likely to go into science if they can meet and get to know women scientists. With my own daughter I got her involved early. She helped me with these volunteer programs. Sometimes I brought the experiments home to do with my own children. That’s one of the reasons they love science. I want all children to learn to love it too.””
-Euna Kwon
“”Everything Edison”” Discover Summer Program, Plainsboro Public Library. See below for schedule. For a completel listing of all programs call the library at 609-275-2897.
Poetry News! Print! Part I, Monday, July 26, 3 to 5:30 p.m. (Part II will be held Tuesday, July 27, 3 to 5:30 p.m.) Working with poet Eloise Bruce, students will write, hand set type, and print a newspaper, just as Thomas Edison did when he was only 12 years old.
Summer Science Lecture Series: Thomas Edison, Wednesday, July 28, 7 p.m. Phil Israel, executive director of the Edison Papers Project, will delight the audience with a wealth of wit and wisdom about New Jersey’s most famous “”wizard.””
Anything that Floats/Cardboard Canoe Race, Saturday, July 31, Water’s Edge Park, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
Family Science Lab, Tuesday, August 3, 1:30 p.m. Recreate some of Edison’s experiments with electricity, optics and magnetism.
Edison Summer Sing-A-Long, Tuesday, August 3, 7 p.m.
The Franklin Institute Comes to Plainsboro, Thursday, August 5, 2 to 6 p.m. Drop in any time for ongoing demonstrations and experiments.
Edison Invention Challenge, Friday, August 6, 3 p.m. The all-time favorite competition – building the tallest stable tower with toothpicks and marshmallows.
International Banquet, Saturday, August 7, 6:30 p.m. Bring a dish to share as Discovery Summer 2004 comes to an end.
