Riverbend Elementary had the honor of presenting a Duke Energy Science Night on March 31. The night was an official event of the 2015 North Carolina Science Festival presented by the Biogen Foundation.

A Duke Energy Science Night is a great way to bring families together to explore the amazing world of science! The event showcased many STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities for students, their parents and caregivers, and their teachers. Together, everyone experienced a variety of hands-on science activities, including Garden in a Glove, Parachutes, Fingerprints, and Create a Coaster, just to name a few.

Kindergarten student, Caleb Glance excitedly shared that his Garden in a Glove, “Only has one (seed) that hasn’t sprouted! The corn has a little bud on it and it is a little yellow. The coolest one is the sunflower because it grows with a flower right on top and vines all around!”

Ava McLemore, a third grade student, said she “liked the Roller Coaster activity the best because there was a lot of building and redoing. I liked getting to try different ideas and adding different things to our coaster.”

Founded in 2010, the North Carolina Science Festival is the first statewide science festival in the United States. During a two-week celebration each spring, the Festival brings hundreds of events together under one banner to recognize the economic, educational and cultural impact of science in North Carolina. The Festival is presented by the Biogen Foundation and produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For more information, visit www.ncsciencefestival.org.

Submitted by:  Nikki Barker, Riverbend Elementary School