The joyful squeals of middle and elementary school students filled the halls this past Saturday, March 16 when the National Science Teachers Association held their Super Science Saturday.
The theme for Super Science Saturday this year was March Madness: the Science of Sports, which Dr. Kathleen Blouch, advisor, and NSTA President Alicia Klepper decided about a year to six months prior to the event. Once the main theme is in place, the NSTA officers decide themes for each individual grade level room (K-1, 2-3, 4-5 and 6-8). «We work with Dr. Blouch to decide on the over-arching concepts for each grade level room,» Klepper said. This year, the activities focused on biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, technology and/or fitness concepts related to sports.
NSTA recruits volunteers, faculty and staff to help with different areas of the event. For the past two years, Dining Services has donated apples, bananas and/or pretzels for the children’s snacks. NSTA contacts the Chemistry Club, Education Organization, Kappa Delta Pi as well as other organizations to recruit volunteers to teach, assist and register the children.
Volunteers help NSTA officers and members set up the day before the event as well as tear everything down after the event. NSTA also spends the day making copies of all the activity packets, making signs for the events, stations and making name tags for the children. «The day before the event, NSTA officers normally spend at least eight hours setting up for the event with the help of volunteers,» Klepper said. «Without the devotion of these volunteers, it would take us much more time to be ready for the event.»
For example, while the NSTA officers plan the activities for the K-1 room and grades 6-8 room, the junior method block classes plan for the grades 2-3 and grades 4-5 rooms.
New this year was the parents room, down the hall from the activities. NSTA provided light snacks and beverages while the parents waited for the event to come to a close. Some parents played games while others spoke amongst themselves. 
Lisa Caylor and Susan Sharp said the parents room was a great addition. Caylor’s son, Alexander, is 12 years old and attends Bear Creek School. Sharp’s 8-year-old son Matthew attends Mill Road Elementary School. Both families, who have become friends, found out about the event through the school district.
The Caylors have attended the Super Science Saturday event for the past two years while the Sharps have participated in the past three. Both mothers agreed that the activities were a good opportunity for their respective sons to interact with other children who love science/math and academia as much as they do.
Sharp and Caylor both said they wish there were more opportunities such as these provided by Elizabethtown College. “I think it’s so important for us to train or interest the next generation in science and math and technology and I think programs like this really go a long way to that,” Caylor said. “My son, I mean he’s already liking science but I think this is probably a really good opportunity for children who don’t necessarily have that interest yet. I think it might ignite that interest and that’s so valuable.”
Because science involves so many unique materials, parents cannot necessarily do these activities at home. Super Science Saturday allows the children to use these materials while also spending time with children who have similar interests. “I would be very having him do hands on things in our house but I can’t go out and buy chemicals and electric motors,” Sharp said.
«The purpose [of Super Science Saturday] is to provide learning opportunities for children in the community and for pre-service teachers at the College,» Klepper said. «We always want to impact more children and have more pre-service involved the following year.»