Frederick Public Libraries, Fort Detrick partner to promote STEM learning

Angela Roberts, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read

Nov. 29—Starting Monday, children in Frederick County can pick up supplies at their local public library to turn their homes into impromptu science labs.

For the second year running, Frederick County Public Libraries is partnering with the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command at Fort Detrick to provide hands-on STEM education opportunities to students throughout the area.

Each Monday for the next four weeks — until right before Christmas — families can pick up free kits at one of the nine FCPL branches to conduct science experiments. A new experiment will be available every week.

Last year, the branches gave away 2,000 kits, Deb Spurrier, children's supervisor for the C. Burr Artz Public Library, said in a phone interview on Monday.

"They went really fast," she said. "They were super popular."

This year, USAMRDC provided FCPL with twice as many kits to give away to families.

The branches already have takers. When Spurrier came to work on Monday, her coworkers told her the downtown Frederick library already had parents asking for a kit to give to their children.

Until Sunday, children can pick up supplies for the first challenge — designing a device to keep an egg from breaking when dropped from a height of at least 1.5 meters.

In upcoming weeks, children will be challenged to build an Alka-Seltzer rocket, create a robotic animal and dissect an owl pellet.

Families can find videos on the public libraries' Facebook page to accompany each experiment. The first video, posted on Monday, features librarian Robyn Monaco and Lt. Col. Jake Johnson, who is stationed at Fort Detrick. The pair build their own egg-drop contraption, and share fun facts along the way.

The program gives USAMRDC the chance to reach future scientists and engineers through accessible STEM experiences, Kiley Duncan wrote in an email. Duncan is a contractor with the Fort Detrick agency, who coordinates STEM programs through its Outreach and Partnerships Office.

"We also hope this program helps to spread the word about our Gains in the Education of Science and Mathematics (GEMS) program which is a free, extracurricular, STEM program held in the summer," Duncan wrote.

Spurrier, whose son is a peer mentor with the GEMS program this year, said the STEM program coordinated jointly by FCPL and USARMDC will help students get to know both organizations.

Children may visit the library to pick up a kit with their parents, then return to check out a book to learn more about the concepts explored in the experiment, Spurrier said.

And, she added, it doesn't hurt that the program is coinciding with the start of the winter holidays. If parents need a "backup plan" to keep their children engaged during stormy weather, the experiments provide a great option, she said.

"We're really excited," she said.

Kits are available at FCPL branches during normal library operating hours while supplies last.

Follow Angela Roberts on Twitter: @24_angier