'Making it fun': Students get hands-on lessons in the science of food at Penn Highlands event

Dave Sutor, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

May 8—Emma York, a University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown science, technology, engineering and math student, and sisters Layla and Eva Harshbarger weighed two apples and then placed them at the top of a ramp.

Then they let them roll.

The objective was to see if being different sizes and weights affected the speed at which the apples traveled.

It was one of the hands-on demonstrations available for children to try during The Science of Food fair at Penn Highlands Community College's Central Park Center in downtown Johnstown on Saturday. Among the exhibits, participants could also learn how tomatoes grow, play with "swamp water" at a water treatment exhibit, and make ice cream.

"The beauty of STEM education is it's a lot of hands-on stuff," Barbara Zaborowski, Penn Highlands' dean for learning resources, said. "We want children today to learn that when they look at their food now they'll see different things in an apple, or in a cucumber, or they'll think about acidity, and they'll think about pH, and density. It's taking something common and making it fun and getting them to do hands-on activities with it, but also teaching a science concept."

The fair provided educators and students, including York, an opportunity to share their knowledge.

"We're trying to promote the STEM program at Pitt-Johnstown," York said. "We are actually going to be the first class to graduate with the STEM endorsement, so we were really excited to get the opportunity to come down and work with some actual students.

"Since we were virtual all semester, we wanted to get the chance to work with some kids and practice what we've been learning all semester and then promote that to younger students."

The goal was to hopefully inspire a new generation of children to gain an interest in STEM education.

"I really wanted to see more girls get into science, especially STEM," Lance Harshbarger, Eva and Layla's father, said. "These two are both really, really invested in studying science. I teach English, so I'm trying to promote stuff that they're interested in."

Harshbarger added: "I think it's great that it's hands-on, especially, as opposed to just learning from a textbook. I love that they can feel science, and just be enthusiastic and play. I think play is huge — is really important for learning science, learning any subject."