Post Edited by STEMbassadors Alexis Wachter and Samantha Dix
STEM Fair Returned to Delran in May
The Delran STEM Fair is a big event in the Delran community, a grand experience through different scientific methods, with many opportunities for students to express their knowledge. Making a strong comeback on May 16, 2022, after not being able to happen the past two years due to COVID-19, the STEM Fair was able to bring the community together again for our fifth annual STEM Fair through all the love and interest in STEM!!
Superheroes on the Green Screen
by STEMbassador Jacob Speigel
Mats are set up with a green screen covering it, with another green screen in the background. The kids are instructed to fly like Superman, with their arms out and leaning to make the video seem like they are flying and turning. This activity is a simple demonstration of what modern technology can pull off. Also, green screens are just a small bit within the special effects realm. Kids can learn a lot about modern technology by understanding green screens. This kind of activity can spark imaginations and give kids a small view of what they can accomplish with technology in the future. Streamlabs OBS is used to actually apply the chroma key, giving the background of the sky instead of the green fabric. The process is really simple, and green screens are used in all kinds of films to replicate a setting that may be real, but settings that also may not be real.
Ozobots Explore Martian Terrain
by STEMbassadors Samantha Dix and Alexis Wachter
In room 102, families were greeted at the door by Colin Holloway and then the families were instructed by either Samantha Dix or Samantha Pappas to take a seat where all the materials had been laid out. Such materials included a pack of red, green, blue, and black markers, a color code cheat sheet, a Mars Geography Rover Location Map packet, and a calibration circle. Once each family was situated, STEMbassador Alexis Wachter brought over a charged Ozobot to begin the learning process. Each learner started by calibrating their Ozobots through means of pressing and holding a side button until a white light appeared. This led the Ozobot to spin in a circle, move forward, and blink green. Now that the bot was calibrated, learners were challenged to go on an adventure around Mars where they made paths for their bot to complete as many challenges as possible. Though there was one twist, the students had to use as many codes as possible, such as “tornado” which made the bot spin 5 times, or “zig-zag”. Once the packet of challenges was completed students brought up their charged Ozobot and received a sticker for all of their hard-work to place in their STEM Fair passport! In total, we had 120 student learners for this activity.
Bubble Magic
by STEMbassador Grace Diehl
At the Stem Fair this year, I participated in the “Bubble Magic” station, and spent time teaching students and their parents how to make bubbles with a few simple ingredients. Watching the reactions of the young kids when they managed to create a bubble was so much fun! I have been a STEMambassador for two years now, and this was my first STEM Fair, and it was such a great experience. At the station, myself and the other STEMbassadors organized the materials, handed them out to participants as they arrived, and taught groups how to perform the activity. At some points, we were all rushing around to keep up with the groups that kept coming into our room! We noticed a variety of people in the activity, which was unexpected, as we were mainly expecting younger students. But, it was so much fun to teach older kids and even parents how to do Bubble Magic. Overall, I loved making the STEM fair the best experience possible for all of the guests, and even had a great time myself!
StarLab Planetarium
by STEMbassador Molly Frith
During Delran’s STEM Fair, I took part in the StarLab experience. Overall, it ran smoothly and the kids seemed to have fun and learn about the basic stars and constellations. We encountered dozens of kids that were eager and excited to one, go into the dome, but also see how stars in the sky rotate and where they are located. When they exited the StarLab after their experience, every kid had a smile on their face. Not only did kids participate, but parents did too. They had the opportunity to go in with their children, and they all commented on how cool the experience was. For the activity itself, the kids learned the basics of astronomy like the position of the North Star, Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and other constellations that rotate in the sky. I think that everyone that came to visit our exhibit were thrilled and very ambitious to go into the StarLab.
Tesla Coil Demonstrations
by STEMbassador Grant Stiglich
One of the most interesting parts of the STEM Fair for me was the tesla coil. Lockheed Martin was kind enough to bring in a tesla coil along with a presentation on how it worked. The presenter explained how the tesla coil creates an electric field around the bulb and by pumping electrons into the coil, arcs of electricity shoot out from the bulb at the top of the coil. The coil was then plugged into the laptop and the presenter explained that the tesla coil can act as a speaker and by feeding the coil music, the arcs of electricity would sound like the music being played. All of the viewers put in their ear plugs and the coil was turned on. The coil shot out amazing arcs of electricity and after a few seconds I recognized the music being played as one of the theme songs from The Legend of Zelda. It was amazing how there was no speaker on the coil but you could clearly hear the music just from the electricity being produced. Check out the video below, showing the Tesla Coil in action. Sound on! I’d love to be able to attend another presentation of the coil by Lockheed.
Interactive STEM Activities
by STEMbassador Maddy Simpliciano
The STEM Fair was a success and very educational for the families in our community. The Lockheed Martin tables had many engineers that were enthusiastic about engaging in activities with the kids. It was fun to interact with the families that took part in Lockheed’s activities, including Makey-Makey Kits, Penny Boats, Gumdrop Towers, Make-Your-Own Lip Balm, and Balloon Flyers. I was also able to explore other parts of the STEM Fair, and I learned some new things myself!
The STEM Fair also featured many, many additional organizations and vendors!! Located in the gymnasium of Delran High School, the STEM Fair also included many local vendors and clubs who came out to share their STEM knowledge. Such clubs included Delran’s very own Millbridge, DIS, DMS, and Municipal Green Teams. The Robotics teams from DIS and the Middle School, Delran Chickens, and Mr. Fiordimondo who was kind enough to show off the Delran High School’s greenhouse. Items were sold by the Ornithological Society located at Delran’s very own High School and Pawsitivity Sweets. Information was shared by the Burlington County Parks System, NJ Americorps Watershed, NJIT eSTEM, TEQ, Mind Bytes, Schneider Electric, DMS and DHS Science Fair winners, Delran High Schools Graphic Design class, and workers from Lockheed Martin who aided students in experiments such as making their very own lip balm.
Click through the gallery below to see lots of photos from the 2022 Delran STEM Fair!
Looking Ahead to Next Year
Thank you! We would love to give a huge thank you to the more than 500 people who attended, the Delran Police Force, and the wonderful vendors that participated in this year’s 2022 Delran STEM Fair! We would also like to thank all of the STEMbassadors and Delran Teachers who assisted with the event this year! We can’t wait to hopefully see you all again next for our 2023 Stem Fair!!
