Rotary Centennial Grant an Educational Experience

Rotary Centennial Grant Provides a Fun and Educational Experience

 

On April 19^th the Rotary Club of Helena sponsored a free taco dinner and evening at ExplorationWorks Science Center in Helena for Helena Middle School (HMS) students and their families.  HMS was the only Helena Title I school that had not been sponsored by any organization to enjoy a free night at ExWorks. 

About 70 HMS students and family members enjoyed a dinner cooked and served by Rotarians with the generous assistance of the Silver Star restaurant.  Rotarian “scientists for a night” also led four stations for activities related to the solar system.  All students who participated in the four activities entered a prize drawing for fabulous STEM related prizes.  Three students went home with 3D Pens with extra filament to allow creating many cool doodles and designs.  Three students won Makey Makey invention kits that only a scientist could explain.  Two families won annual memberships to ExplorationWorks.  And the grand prize winner won a Sphero Star Wars Robot.

The twelve Rotarians who participated in hosting the event, the staff of ExplorationWorks, and our guests all had a great time.  Several of the families had never been to the science center before and the evening gave center staff the opportunity to encourage students and their families to request scholarships to summer science camps if needed to allow students to participate.

A bonus from the event was that we had enough leftover food to provide at least one meal to God’s Love, Helena’s homeless shelter.