The Westerville Elementary Boosters will hold its inaugural “Starry Night” astronomy festival from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, at Westerville South High School, which is located at 303 South Otterbein Avenue.
The multidisciplinary event will feature fun, family-friendly activities that bring together astronomy, geology, meteorology, robotics and physics with dance, painting, costume design and music. The event is free and suitable for children of all ages. Concessions will be available throughout the day and all Columbus-area families are invited to attend.
The idea of incorporating the Arts with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEAM) has been gaining appreciation in educational circles as a way to promote innovation and creativity while exploring complex topics.
“This event offers our students from Westerville and other interested students from around Columbus the opportunity to ignite their curiosity about the intersection between science and art,” said Dr. Jan Fedorenko, arts curriculum coordinator for the Westerville City School District. “The festival’s approach engages students and gives them the opportunity to participate in hands-on, project-based learning.”
The inflatable SkyDome planetarium, sponsored by Nationwide Children’s Hospital, headlines the 2013 Starry Night astronomy festival. Tom Burns, director of Perkins Observatory and astronomy columnist for The Columbus Dispatch, will explain and launch rockets from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Staff and volunteers from the following event partners will present interactive exhibits and demonstrations that explore different aspects of our universe:
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The Columbus Astronomical Society,
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The Westerville Library,
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The Ohio State University,
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The Westerville Arts Council, and
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Inniswood Metro Garden.
The festival also will feature opportunities for families to participate in hands-on activities such as:
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Designing and building a huge cardboard Stonehenge-like monument,
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Running relays with giant inflatable planets, and
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Viewing the Sun through safe solar telescopes.
Starry Night will culminate from 6:00-8:00 p.m. with a space-themed dance party complete with face painting, costume making, and a live DJ. Dancers from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio will help get the crowd moving.
Though this year marks the debut of this unique community festival, the Westerville Elementary Boosters envision this event as becoming an annual opportunity for families to learn together and explore science and art.
“Our community businesses and partners have been very generous in their support of our vision, and we can’t thank them enough,” said Amy Raubenolt, Starry Night organizer and Westerville parent. “The enthusiasm and energy surrounding this event is infectious, and we are looking forward to a fun-filled night.”
For more information about Starry Night and the Westerville Elementary Boosters, find the Westerville Elementary Boosters on Facebook or visit: www.everypenny.com/WCSOH/ElementaryBoosters/StarryNight.
The Westerville Elementary Boosters is a nonprofit organization born out of recent dialogue on school funding and elementary education in the Westerville City School District. The organization aims to support elementary academics across the district by networking elementary schools and the community together to promote academic enrichment, forming a community volunteer corps, forging partnerships, and seeking grant funding and corporate sponsorships in support of elementary education.