Monroe County 4-H reached out to the Monroe Community College Optics Club to present an exploration of science this spring. The event occurred at the MCC campus in Brighton with youth and families learning more about optics and taking a tour of their laboratory.
The event, Out-of-this-World Optics!, occurred the week after the Solar Eclipse in Rochester. At the event, youth and families could choose their own adventure by visiting various tables of optics demonstrations led by club members. The MCC Optics Club is run by current students in the optical systems technology program at the college and led by Esther Dykstra and Abbey Helfer, with Dr. Alexis Vogt serving as the faculty advisor. The MCC Optics Club is committed to educating the community about STEM through play or exploration of everyday science.
The theme of the demos featured color science and encouraged participants to interact hands-on. The club demonstrated how white light is made and how different forms of glass behave with light.
Spectrometers allowed participants to test different light sources and see what they are made of. Families also toured the facilities at the MCC campus and learned about the tools used to make lenses.
Verónica Cisneros, 4-H Family Development Analyst, shared, “The opportunity for school age youth to connect with a growing industry at the local community college was a wonderful way to expose youth to STEM concepts.”
The Monroe County 4-H Program is offered through Cornell Cooperative Extension to the youth of Monroe County. 4-H is a worldwide youth development program open to all youth aged five to 19, who want to have fun, learn new skills, and explore the world. In return, youth who participate in 4-H find a supportive environment and opportunities for hands-on or “experiential” learning about topics that spark their interest. Learn more about 4-H at http://monroe.cce.cornell.edu/4-h-youth-development.
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