Science group hopes
to stir interest among kids

Mad Science will host a number
of activities around the island

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By Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.com

Mad Science, an international organization dedicated to stirring the imagination and curiosity of children about science, is launching activities in Hawaii.

"Chief Mad Scientist" John A. Epstein and his wife, Laura, bought a franchise in January and will hold grand opening events next month.

Epstein said he formerly taught middle school math and science on the mainland and wanted to get involved with the educational system again. Laura is a school psychologist with the state Department of Education.

Mad Science provides entertaining, educational and fun activities to help children understand what science is about and how it affects their world, he said.

Epstein said the international corporation reaches about 4 million children with 50 franchises in 22 countries.

Offerings include in-class workshops, after-school programs, summer camps, school assemblies, special events, birthday parties and a series of Scholastic books for children 3 to 12 years old.

Rocketry, lasers, sound modulation, space and indoor fireworks are among more than 70 activity themes.

Epstein said a teacher resource guide is included with every activity.

"It's all inquiry-based learning and kinetic, hands-on learning, shown by most leading educational experts as the absolute, best way to have kids learn about science at this age..."

Activities may range from "making slime (polymers) to laws of aerodynamics, playing with wind bags," he said. "A magician might talk about levitating a handkerchief. Mad Science not only shows how illusion could be magic but explains the scientific basis of what you're seeing."

Opening activities will begin with a "Bonus Birthday Bash" from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. April 23 for more than 40 preschool children in Rainbow Schools, 108 California Ave., Wahiawa.

Other events include:

>> A science assembly for more than 250 children in kindergarten through 5th grade from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. April 29 at Barbers Point Elementary School. The interactive 50-minute "Fire and Ice" show will feature an "incredible Mad Science shower." Children will learn about Bernoulli's principle of aerodynamics from objects floating in mid-air.

>> Mad Science Day at Toys "R" Us in Aiea from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 26, featuring a "hair-raising" experience with a static electricity generator. Children will make "Mad Science putty" and conduct hands-on experiments with the scientists.

>> Sliming Shriners Hospital for Children from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 6. The Mad Scientists will visit children in their hospital rooms with hands-on experiments, including making their own slippery slime.

Epstein said the grand opening events are offered at no charge to the organizations involved, and Mad Science will continue to offer programs to economically distressed areas with sliding scale scholarships.

For more information about Mad Science, call 680-0011.