Last summer, many area children enjoyed watching every day objects transform and react, creating colorful and fantastic spectacles that sparked their imaginations. If you assume they attended some kind of magic show featuring such excitement and entertainment, you’d be right in a figurative sense—these children were observing the “magic” and wonders of chemistry, thanks to GVEC and the Texas A&M Chemistry Road Show.
Information and Imagination
The Chemistry Road Show, featuring Dr. Jim Pennington of the Texas A&M chemistry department, demonstrates that chemistry, unlike magic, is comprehensible, and chemistry and chemicals are safe and beneficial when used carefully and intelligently. Additionally, the audience, young and old alike, revel in enthusiasm and surprise as they watch a series of experiments unfold.
The show includes colorful chemical reactions, demonstrations with fire and super-cold materials, controlled explosions and more. The experiments are entertaining and exciting ways to teach attendees that chemicals and chemistry are not only vital to daily life, but also fascinating and fun.
Adding a Scientific Spin on Summer Programs
In the past, GVEC participated in local libraries’ summer reading programs through reading electricity-related books to children that were then donated to all area libraries as well as conducting electrical-concept and safety demonstrations. These have included interactive Van de Graff electricity transfer presentations, engaging PowerTown electric safety demonstrations, and GVEC linemen bringing a bucket truck and explaining how they stay safe while doing their jobs and also ways kids can stay safe when it comes to electricity.
In summer 2021, however, the Cooperative changed course with the intent to spread interest in science to young people and illustrate all the things in their world made possible by science—including electricity. GVEC is excited to bring the Chemistry Road Show back for summer 2022!
Though the show doesn’t feature electricity specifically, GVEC Community Relations Representative Kasie Tankersley explains the primary goal of the program is to try something different to get kids excited about science.
“This is a fun way to encourage active learning and spark interest in science. Part of our goal to deliver more as a cooperative is to not only engage with the kiddos in the communities we serve, but help to open their minds to what’s possible when education, creativity and fun are combined,” said Tankersley.
Join GVEC at the Chemistry Road Show!
The Chemistry Road Show is a free public service funded by Texas A&M’s Department of Chemistry and College of Science Outreach program, along with Dow Chemical Company and Shell Oil Company.
GVEC is proud to bring the Texas A&M Chemistry Road Show to locations in our area this June!
June 7, 10:30 a.m., La Vernia High School Cafeteria, 225 Bluebonnet Rd., La Vernia
June 8, 10:00 a.m., Cuero Municipal Clubhouse, 201 Leonard Roy Hamon Dr., Cuero
June 9, 10:30 a.m., McKenna Events Center, 801 W. San Antonio St., New Braunfels
Learn more about GVEC’s community presentation offerings at gvec.org/community.
