Putting the “WOW” factor into Educational Outreach

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

The County of San Diego’s Department of Environmental Health (DEH) provides awe-inspiring educational outreach in science to elementary, middle and high school age students. The program emphasizes the “WOW” factor in science during these outreach activities. DEH demonstrates how Environmental Health Specialists use science during their daily activities on the job. The goal is to motivate students to continue in school and remember DEH when it is time to join the work force.Annually, DEH reaches out to more than 3,000 students. The DEH Hazardous Materials Division’s educational outreach program is an interactive science demonstration that puts the “WOW” factor back into learning. DEH tailors the program to the subject being taught by their teachers to reinforce what they are learning in the classroom. DEH shows students how those same science concepts are used in real life applications and how they relate to the job of an Environmental Health Specialist.The presenters captivate students with visual and audible science demonstrations, bringing them into the activities when safe to do so both inside and outside of the classroom. Kids light up with excitement during the demonstrations. After the demonstration, students frequently say, “Science is cool!” That’s not a common opinion from a teenager.