SCIENCE CENTRAL INC

SCIENCE CENTRAL'S MISSION IS TO BE A "REGIONAL RESOURCE THAT PROVIDES INSPIRING AND FUN HANDS-ON SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR ALL PEOPLE OF ALL AGES." OUR PURPOSE IS TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING REGION WITH STEM CONCEPTS IN WAYS THAT INSPIRE LIFELONG LEARNING AND FUTURE CAREERS. OUR SCIENCE CENTER PROVIDES VISITORS WITH OVER 200 PERMANENT EXHIBITS THAT EXPLORE AND DEMONSTRATE THE PHYSICAL, NATURAL, AND APPLIED SCIENCES. WE PROVIDE AN ANNUAL MEASURABLE IMPACT TO 135,000 PEOPLE IN THE REGION AND THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS. IN 2023, NEW EXHIBITS INCLUDE A BALL WALL THAT TEACHES VISITORS ABOUT POTENTIAL AND KINETIC ENERGY, FRICTION, INERTIA AND GRAVITY. THE COMPLIMENTARY GEAR WALL EXHIBIT USES GEARS OF VARYING SHAPES AND SIZES THAT CAN BE ARRANGED INTO COUNTLESS ALIGNMENTS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FUNCTION OF THIS SIMPLE MACHINE ELEMENT. A NEW CATENARY ARCH INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT TEACHES VISITORS THE SCIENCE OF GEOMETRY AND CONSTRUCTION. THROUGH TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES, VISITORS ARE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY CONSTRUCT THE STRONGEST OF ARCHITECTURAL FORMS. THE LIGHT STICK EXHIBIT USES LEDS TO FLASH A PORTION OF A LARGER IMAGE THAT IS IMPRINTED ON THE VIEWERS EYES TO COMPILE THE COMPLETE IMAGE. THE NEW EXHIBIT, BUILD A HABITAT ON MARS, EXPANDS OUR PERMANENT EXHIBIT ON THE SOLAR SYSTEM. IT IS DESIGNED TO INSPIRE, ENGAGE, AND EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF EXPLORERS ABOUT THE HUMAN EXPLORATION OF MARS. A RESTORED MUSICAL STAIRS EXHIBIT FEATURES LASER LINES THAT PRODUCE A MUSICAL NOTE WHEN CROSSED. THIS EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERSECTION OF TECHNOLOGY AND ART AS THE VISITOR PLAYS A TUNE WHILE WALKING UP THE GRAND STAIRCASE. A NEW GIANT SLIDE HAS BEEN INSTALLED TO REPLACE AN ORIGINAL SLIDE EXHIBIT. THE NEW DESIGN INCREASES SAFETY FOR THE VISITORS AS THEY TRAVEL DOWN THE 24-FOOT SLIDE BEING EXPOSED TO THE TOPICS OF GRAVITY AND FRICTION. WITH THESE NEW EXHIBITS, WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO SIGNIFICANT CAREERS IN OUR REGION, ADDRESS CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, ENGAGE DIVERSE AGE GROUPS, AND REACH OUT TO TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS SUCH AS GIRLS AND WOMEN. THE RECENT REMODEL OF OUR NATURE NOOK (FORMERLY THE SWAP SHOP) CONTINUES TO BE AN IMPROVED EXPERIENCE FOR VISITORS AS THEY INTERACT WITH THE ANIMALS. WE CONTINUE TO UPGRADE THE ANIMAL ENCLOSURES WITH THE LARGE-WINDOW FORMAT TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS TO SEE THEM AT BETTER VANTAGE POINTS. THE FOOD STORAGE AND PREP STATION PROVIDES ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF AND VISITORS TO ENGAGE AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ANIMALS. WE HAVE SEEN A LOT MORE ACTIVITY BETWEEN THE ANIMALS AND VISITORS SINCE THE REMODEL. OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO PRESENT THE COMMUNITY WITH FOUR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS IN OUR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS GALLERY. FIRST, WE HOSTED "TACTILE DA VINCI," A UNIQUE EXHIBITION ABOUT THE INVENTIONS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR VISITORS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, AND USED 3- DIMENSIONAL, BRAILLE AND AUDITORY COMPONENTS. NEXT WAS "A-MAZE-D" ABOUT MAZES, GAMES, PUZZLES AND PROBLEM-SOLVING. THE THIRD EXHIBITION, BUILD IT, USED LARGE FOAM BLOCKS TO ALLOW VISITORS TO BUILD NEW CREATIONS BASED ON SUGGESTED MODELS, OR TO CREATE THEIR OWN UNIQUE DESIGNS. OUR FINAL EXHIBIT IN EARLY 2024 WAS QUILTS: LIGHT THE WORLD, WHICH PROVIDED VISUAL AND TACTILE OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT WITH 40 DIFFERENT QUILT DESIGNS. THIS ALLOWED THE VISITORS TO EXPLORE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LIGHT, COLOR, CHEMISTRY, GEOMETRY, AND TEXTILES. UPON COMPLETING THE FUNDRAISING, ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION PHASES FOR OUR PLANETARIUM CAPITAL PROJECT, CONSTRUCTION OF THIS LARGE EXHIBIT HAS STARTED. THIS EXPANSION, USING BOTH A CLASSIC STARBALL PROJECTOR AND CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL EQUIPMENT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE THE REGION'S ONLY PUBLIC PLANETARIUM IN THE REGION'S ONLY SCIENCE CENTER. IN 2023 SCIENCE CENTRAL HOSTED 409 STUDY TRIPS (FIELD TRIPS) FROM SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST INDIANA AND OHIO AREA. STUDY TRIPS INCLUDE FLOOR EXPLORATION AND OFTEN SCHOOLS REQUEST ADDITIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND LABS, WHICH ARE LED BY OUR EDUCATION STAFF. OUR 828 OUTREACH PROGRAMS BROUGHT LABS, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS TO SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST INDIANA. THESE HANDS-ON PROGRAMS MEET INDIANA'S SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS AND HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND STEM CONCEPTS THAT ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND WITHOUT FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. FOLLOWING THE CHANGES NECESSITATED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, SCIENCE CENTRAL HAS BECOME ADEPT IN CREATING OUTREACH KITS (CALLED "SCIENCE2GO KITS"), WHICH ALLOW LOCAL STUDENTS TO BENEFIT FROM PERSONAL, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AS THEY FOLLOW ALONG WITH A LAB OR DEMONSTRATION PRESENTED THROUGH OUR ESTABLISHED INTERACTIVE VIDEO CONFERENCING (IVC) PROGRAM. IT HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT ACTIVITY TOWARD THE MISSION OF SCIENCE CENTRAL TO BE ABLE TO REACH THOSE WHO COULD NOT DIRECTLY VISIT OUR CENTER. MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE REMOTE SOLUTIONS FOR STEM EDUCATION FOR AS LONG AS CLASSROOMS FIND THIS OPTION USEFUL. OUR EXPANDED CATALOG OF INTERACTIVE VIDEO CONFERENCING PROGRAMMING REMAINS AVAILABLE, AS DO THE CORRESPONDING SCIENCE2GO KITS, WHICH ALLOW LOCAL AND REGIONAL STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES IN THEIR OWN HOMES OR CLASSROOMS WHILE RECEIVING REMOTE INSTRUCTION. SCIENCE CENTRAL'S PARTNERSHIPS WITH SEVERAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HELP ENSURE OUR PROGRAMMING IS FINANCIALLY ACCESSIBLE. WE PARTNER WITH THREE LOCAL MUSEUMS TO PROVIDE A MUSEUM ACCESS PASS, A REDUCED-PRICE MEMBERSHIP FOR ALL FOUR MUSEUMS. IN 2023, WE HOSTED THREE FREE ADMISSION DAYS: DOCTORS DAY, MHS DAY, AND BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN. WE OFFER DISCOUNTED ADMISSION ON THE LAST SATURDAY OF MOST MONTHS. WE HOSTED DISABILITY DAYS (FORMERLY SPECIAL ABILITIES DAYS) WHICH ENABLED INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH DISABILITIES TO VISIT SCIENCE CENTRAL AT NO CHARGE WHILE ALSO OFFERING THEM ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO MAKE OUR SITE EVEN MORE ACCESSIBLE. THESE SPECIAL ADMISSION OPPORTUNITIES PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN EXPANDING THE REACH OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR ALL PEOPLE.