P.S. 89's Hallway of Science

 by Barry Owens


Third-grader Susie Lenovitz stood in a second-floor hallway of P.S. 89 last month and proudly pointed out the inner workings of the human heart. In her hand-drawn version, the heart's chambers were clearly labeled, the ventricles were color-coded and the accompanying text read like an operating manual. "This is the most important thing in your body," she explained of her science fair project.

Alysa Leong and Hannah Stanke prepare their experiment. Photo: Carl Glassman

A few exhibits over, Egan McClave drew a crowd by measuring the movement of opposing electrons-attracting and repelling them with the wave of a string or the rub of a balloon to the head. "Static electricity," he said. "They say it works best on dry days."

And all the way down the hall, Omari Ross donned safety glasses. Once the vinegar and baking soda fizzed into a carbon dioxide gas, the pressure would pop the rubber stopper from the "fuel tank" and his "Amazing Rocket Car" would launch across the floor.

"Stand back," he said. "Stand way back."

It was the first science fair at P.S. 89, and from test tubes to turnout, the experiment last month was a success.

"We're getting grandparents," marveled science teacher Diane Reed-Paley, who, with help from parents, put on the third-graders' fair. She beamed as the students showed off their projects.

"I can tell the kids are feeling confident about their work," she said. "Today, they are scientists."

Young scientist Michael Klusendorf created a quiz on a circuit board fashioned from cardboard, wire and paper clips. Pointing to the correct answer completed the circuit and sparked a light bulb.

Most of the questions were sports related, but he included a few about geography and U.S. history so "girls would be able to get some of the answers right, too."

Rashaan Douglas built a volcano, complete with landscaping details and a tiny village in the valley below. But he was missing one important detail.

The fair drew a crowd. Photo: Carl Glassman
Zisis Gribas watches as Cliff Benfield's pupil contracts in the light during a science fair last month at P.S. 89.

"Quick," he said, rushing to a neighboring booth. "I need to borrow some red food coloring for the lava."

From the solar system to the surface tension of water to the surprising strength of a hollowed eggshell, students spent weeks researching their topics.

"When it got to be crunch time, we were up till 11 o'clock some nights," said Rondell Ross, father of two third graders, Omari and Ameer. Ameer studied the working life of bees, and at the last minute added wasps to the presentation to match the nest "dad found on eBay."

The fair was not a competition. Every third grader got a ribbon and, even better, the memory of a first-hand encounter with science wizardry. "Whenever I ask people about their first science fair," Reed-Paley said, "they always smile."

Omari Ross and his rocket car. Photo: Carl Glassman