BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Regional News
Children at the Santa Fe College Watson Center in Keystone Heights were encouraged to make a mess—all in the name of science.
The center held its annual Super Summer Science Camp for children ages 6-12 from June 17 through June 21, and with course offerings such as “Fizzy, Fuzzy, Yummy Chemistry” and “Slimy, Squishy, Melty, Mushy,” it was anything but boring.
“It’s teaching them that science is fun, that it’s exciting and there’s so much you can do with it,” said Santa Fe teacher Melanie Roberti, who teaches the camp with Keystone Heights Elementary School gifted teacher Kim Mann.
Jerry Payne was attending the camp for the second straight year with his twin brother, Jay. Jerry said it was a little surprising how much fun last year’s camp was.
“I was just thinking we were going to be in a lab all day doing experiments,” he said. “It turned out we were outside having fun. It was cool.”
What Mann thinks is cool is the fact the children are learning something, whether they realize it or not.
“I love to watch the little light bulbs come on in their heads,” Mann said. “How exciting is it they’re excited about something, and they don’t know they’re learning.”
