Calvin to Host Chem Demos May 16-18

May 10, 2007 == MEDIA ADVISORY

Summary: Calvin College will host 1,500 local fifth-graders next week for
three days of fun, entertaining and educational chemistry demonstrations.

Full story, including schedule, see
http://www.calvin.edu/news/releases/2006-07/chem-demos.htm

For the 17th straight year Calvin College will host local fifth-graders for
its annual end-of-the-school-year chemistry demonstrations.

The demos will take place May 16, 17 and 18 on campus, in both the morning and
the afternoon, and the students represent a variety of schools - everything
from Burton and Buchanan elementary schools to Sherwood Park and St. Andrews to
Millbrook and Ada Christian schools to home schools. In fact Burton Elementary
has one of the biggest groups attending with 150 students slated to show at
Calvin on May 16 at 1 pm!

As in past years, the demos will see Calvin professor Larry Louters perform an
enjoyable mix of education and entertainment designed to not only teach
children some of the more basic laws of chemistry, but do so in a fun way that
may encourage kids to pursue the study of chemistry at the high school and
college level.

Louters's act is a blend of Mr. Rogers and David Copperfield as he mixes
kind-hearted science instruction with explosions, flames and other visual
thrills guaranteed to capture the attention of 11-year-olds!

A couple of years ago, for example, he introduced a new trick - one in which
he and colleague Rich Huisman scoop up methane-filled soap bubbles, walk into
the audience and ignite the bubbles.

Says Louters with a big grin: "A huge flame erupting from an open hand is
pretty spectacular."

Contact Louters at 616-526-6493 or lout@calvin.edu

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Received on Thu May 10 14:58:32 2007