18A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 28, 2015
Polk County Schools/Education
SCHOOL NOTES
WOU scheduled to host preview day
Oregon State Univer-
sity physics major Jake
Fitzharris, left, demon-
strates the reaction
between dry ice and
warm water to Oak-
dale students Addison
Bobeda, second from
left and Ariana
Bobeda, center on
Thursday night during
“Family Science Night”
at Oakdale Heights El-
ementary School.
Fitzharris described
the combination as
creating “a cloud in
cup.” The experiment
was one of the more
popular featured dur-
ing the event.
MONMOUTH — Online registration is underway for Western
Oregon University’s Winter Preview Day, scheduled Saturday,
Feb. 7. Deadline to sign up is Feb. 4.
The event, designed for prospective and admitted students,
starts at 9 a.m. with check-in and collection of admission appli-
cations at the Werner University Center.
Attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about
WOU’s academic programs, meet faculty and staff, attend infor-
mation sessions, and tour the campus and residence halls.
Online registration by 5 p.m. on Feb. 4 is required; registra-
tion may close earlier in the event preregistration numbers ex-
ceed available space, which is what happened in advance of
the fall preview day event.
For more information: WOU Office of Admissions, 503-838-
8211; email to wolfgram@wou.edu; online at
www.wou.edu/student/admissions/previewday/winter.php.
New school planning info sessions
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Getting hooked on science
Dallas’ ‘Family Science Night’ exposes kids to learning in a fun way
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Want to trick
your brain into thinking that
healthy broccoli actually
tastes good?
Just put something you
like to eat up to your nose
and breathe in while chew-
ing your vegetables.
That was just one of the
scientific tidbits Dallas ele-
mentary school students and
their families learned during
Family Science Night Thurs-
day at Oakdale Heights Ele-
mentary School.
The “taste and smell” ex-
periment was a popular one
all night — perhaps because
it used candy to teach stu-
dents, and the occasional
parent, how connected our
sense of taste is to our sense
of smell.
Margie Haak, an Oregon
State University chemistry
instructor and science night
event coordinator, lured the
students with jelly beans,
M&M’s and Skittles.
In the first experiment,
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Elementary students try the “taste and smell” experiment.
They chew on a M&M and smell a Skittles candy, tricking
the brain into thinking they’re eating fruity chocolate.
Haak had participants chew
on the jelly beans while
pinching their noses closed
for five seconds. Then she
had them unplug their
noses. It took a few seconds,
but soon their eyes would
light up.
“It tastes better, huh?”
Haak asked the students,
who responded by nodding
their heads and smiling. “A
lot of what we know as taste
is not in your mouth at all.
It’s in your nose.”
To power the point home,
she had them bite into a
Skittle and hold it to their
nose while eating an M&M.
“Tastes like fruity choco-
late doesn’t it?” she asked to
more nods to the affirma-
tive.
OSU has sponsored “Fam-
ily Science Nights” through-
out the Willamette Valley for
about a dozen years, Haak
said. The university’s chem-
istry, physics, chemical engi-
neering and other science
departments were repre-
sented at about 10 booths
featuring fun and safe sci-
ence activities for young-
sters. Science majors and in-
structors alike guided the
students through the experi-
ments.
Thursday was the first
time a “science night” was
held in Dallas schools. By the
looks of the lines waiting at
each booth, it was a hit.
“The turnout has been
great,” Haak said. “Adults
and kids are jumping into
experiments. That’s been re-
ally nice.”
She added the goal is to
introduce science to ele-
mentary students in a fasci-
nating and fun way.
See SCIENCE, Page 17A
DALLAS — Dallas Community School, a new charter school
slated to open in Dallas in the fall of 2015, has scheduled four up-
coming information sessions for parents of prospective students.
The sessions are Feb. 19 from 6 to 7 p.m.; March 22 from 2 to
3 p.m.; April 13 from 7 to 8 p.m.; and May 20 from 6 to 7 p.m.
Room is filling up fast on the sessions, so parents are asked
to RSVP via email to info@DallasCommunitySchool.org to re-
ceive directions to the meeting location.
For more information about the school: www.dallascommu-
nityschool.org.
MVCA students take part in project
MONMOUTH — Students at Mid-Valley Christian Academy are
wrapping up the school’s annual Mission Week, which started
Jan. 21.
Students have been encouraged to do jobs at home to earn
money to donate during the week toward a project, which this
year is “Gospel for Asia — Gifts from the Stable,” an effort to pur-
chase farm animals. For example, students could buy a chicken
for every $5.50 raised, or a water buffalo for $490.
The project gives students an opportunity to learn about
other countries, the needs of people and sharing with others.
Mid-Valley Christian Academy is also currently participating in
National School Choice Week, being held through Saturday.
For more information: Gaye Stewart, MVCA, 503-838-2818.
Foundation scholarships available
POLK COUNTY — Single parents and those 25 and older
looking to earn a college degree can apply for scholarships
through the Ford Family Foundation.
Two scholarships are available for Oregon residents who can
demonstrate financial need by filing a Free Application for Fed-
eral Student Aid (FAFSA), available at www.fafsa.gov.
The Ford Opportunity Scholarship Program is for single parents
planning to earn a bachelor’s degree at an eligible college. Appli-
cants must be the head of a household and without a live-in part-
ner. For more information: www.oregonstudentaid.gov/scholar-
ship-doc/Ford-Opportunity.pdf.
The Ford ReStart Scholarship Program is for those 25 and
older seeking an associate degree or bachelor’s degree at an eli-
gible college. Those applying should be no more than halfway
toward completing their degree and a reference form is required.
For more information: www.oregonstudentaid.gov/scholarship-
doc/Ford-ReStart.pdf.
Scholarships are 90 percent of unmet financial need with a
maximum of $25,000 per academic year. Applications must be
completed online by March 1 at www.OregonStudentAid.gov.
For more information: email to fordscholarships@tfff.org; call
1-877-864-2872; or go to www.tfff.org.