Weekly Media Roundup: August 31, 2016

Science Camp Has All the Elements for Fun, Learning (Bonner County Daily Bee, Idaho)

Thirteen students spent a week this summer learning about nature’s scientific processes through the All About Elements Outdoor Science Camp. The camp is run by Pullman Parks and Recreation research scientist Jamie Gaber, who worked with the students on experiments focused on chemical reactions and botany at the Lakeview Park arboretum. They used the periodic table to learn about the elements and experimented with sprouting seeds to determine optimal growing situations, reports the Bonner County Daily Bee.

Bill to Provide Free After School Programs to Poor California Students Passes Legislature (East Bay Times, California)

Last week, the California legislature passed a bill to give homeless, low-income and foster children priority access to free, state-funded afterschool programs, according to the East Bay Times. “Giving kids access to after school and summer programs helps children escape poverty by caring for their basic needs and improving their access to a true quality education,” Assemblywoman Nora Campos, the bill’s author, said. The bill will also make sure that afterschool programs use all available federal resources to provide healthy food to students.

Youth Become Water Leaders (San Angelo Standard-Times, Texas)

Ten San Angelo middle school students spent their summer learning about their hometown’s water resources, studying water quality, watershed and lake levels to become “water ambassadors” to the public. The Aqua Squad set up a gallery display using social media, videos and interviews to communicate their new knowledge to the community and encourage people to do more to conserve water and protect the area’s lakes. “It’s an amazing project that gave them so many skills that they don’t get at home or school, from interviewing to learning how to research projects and learning how to set up displays and exhibits,” Brandy Hawkins, whose daughter participated in the program, told the San Angelo Standard-Times.

Hanover Amazing Kids Club Holds Art Showcase (Evening Sun, Pennsylvania)

More than 200 children and adolescents on the autism spectrum worked on art projects this summer to enhance their imagination, fine motor skills and communication at the Amazing Kids Club. Clinical coordinator Bruce Swiger told the Evening Sun that art can be highly beneficial for autistic children’s development: “It’s not the answer to everything, but it’s a piece of the puzzle to work on integration.” The program ran for 11 weeks, giving students a chance to work on a wide range of art projects, from self-portraits to pottery to 3-D art displays. Amazing Kids Club concluded with an art show to show off the students’ work to friends and family last week.