Pasque Flower - True Harbinger of Spring

At last, the Pasque Flowers are blooming in the Bemidji area. These are the true harbingers of spring - the very first of all the wild flowers often arising in the vicinity of snow banks. To me they are a promise of renewal, shaking off the last vestiges of winter and portending greater things to come.

Soon there will be hepatica, blood root and Indian paintbrush. It always happens that way. It ends with the gentians in October that fight old man winter to the bitter end. After that they all lay in wait, cheering on the pasque flowers to start it all over again!
John Mathisen, HSC

A Message from Susan Joy - Director Headwaters Science Center

Choices

  by Susan Joy

Choice. Every day we make choices: what to eat for breakfast, where to shop for the best price on a special item, what to make for dinner, when to take vacation, how to handle an unexpected expense, and so on.
Right now you might be thinking about a choice related to Headwaters Science Center: which summer camp would be the best fit for your child, what birthday party option is appropriate, when to renew your HSC membership, or how to show off  HSC to your family visiting from out of town.

Some choices are made for us. Other choices require careful thought and planning. One easy choice––renewing your HSC membership! As a member, whether at the family, grandparent, or individual level, you
receive a 10% discount on all Science Store purchases, a 10% discount on most summer camp programs, and a discount on birthday parties.

Don’t forget about the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) Passport Program! Did you know that your HSC membership card is a passport to over 340 other science centers worldwide? In this issue of the Headwaters Current, you will find more information about all the great choices HSC offers,  including amazing birthday party options, unique gift items in the Science Store, engaging summer camp selections, our summer picnic––“Playful Elements,” and the ultimate member benefit––our 7,500 square ft. exhibit floor. HSC has many options for every member of your family; it might be difficult to choose which to do first!

HSC offers a variety of programs, exhibits, and features that provide the spark of imagination and long-term engagement in science. One of our goals is to increase the options for you to choose from, such as a Saturday natural history themed workshop, or a Science After Dark event featuring a local business, or maybe a members’ only event chosen by you––our members!

Stay tuned. We have many opportunities to choose from, and thank you for choosing to be a member of HSC.

Note: click for more information about HSC memberships

Playful Elements - A Picnic in the Street

A picnic in the street! Come one come all to downtown Bemidji for an afternoon of family fun. Headwaters Science Center is celebrating "Playful Elements", the fourth event in the "Elements of Our Future" fundraising series. 

June 22, 2013 from 11 am to 3 pm. Mark your calendar now!

In Bemidji on 4th Street between Beltrami and Minnesota Avenues (the street will be closed to traffic)

Great food will include a pulled pork BBQ and hot dogs with fixings, served between 11 am and 1 pm (free-will donation available, all proceeds going to Headwaters Science Center). Lots of games and fun. Here are the highlights as we see them today:

Bounce House (thanks to R Entertainment from Kelliher)

Home Depot Kids Workshop

Cotton Candy, made to order

Free popcorn

Face painting

Minnow Races

Mini-sailboat races on the street

Old fashioned picnic games to include, Limbo, egg race, 3-legged race and balloon toss, all with prizes.

Watch for additional information on this blog and elsewhere as plans continue to develop.

Oh, not sure what a "bounce house " is? Here is a picture.

This 50’ long game features obstacles, climbs & a slide, plus

 incredible artwork and a whole lot of fun! I

HSC Summer Camps 2013

The staff at Headwaters Science Center is working hard to provide a really memorable selection of activities for kids during the summer of 2013. Now is the time to register your child for one or more of these Summer Camps. Check out our website page for more details and up-to-date information.

HSC Summer Camps provide an opportunity to engage in science-related activities in a fun and safe environment. Before and after child care is available for all camps for an additional fee; this allows more flexibility for parents to drop off and pick up their kids. Scholarships are available for campers who qualify, please call 444-4472 for more information and request an application.


Members save 10% on all camps.  So become a member now and reward yourself with all the advantages of being a member. Check out memberships here.

Below is the lineup for 2013 Summer Camps:

________________________________________________________________

Tots N Science  $75 

June 17 to June 20
Dedicated to young scientists ages 3 to 6.  A Parent must accompany their camper.  10 to 11:30 am (no before/aftercare)

Discovery Camp  $100 

June 17 to June 20
The perfect science camp for kids – Star Lab, crazy chemistry and engineering challenges will abound!  Ages 6 to 9, 1 to 3 pm.

Weather and Climate $200 

June 24 to June 28
Learn about weather and climate and launch a high-altitude balloon.  Ages 8 to 13,  9 am to 2 pm.

Photography Camp $90 

July 9 to July 11
Bring a camera and learn about composition, lighting, technique and more in a fun environment. Ages 10 to 14, 10 am to 2 pm.

Robotics $200 

July 15 to July 19
This year the robots will be bigger and smart than ever.  Cap the week with a friendly competition.  Ages 8 to 13, 10 am to 2 pm.

Engineering Innovations $200 

July 29 to August 2
Learn about engineering from real engineers, go on a field trip and build your own contraption.  Ages 8 to 13, 9 am to 2 pm.

Camp Invention $225 

August 5 to August 9
Geo-Quest is our theme: embark on a quest to explore the earth!  Ages 6 through 12,  9 am to 3:30 pm. Get all the details online at Campinvention.org or call (800) 968-4332.





Pre-registration is required for all camps.  Full payment and registration forms are due on the Monday preceding the first Monday of camp week.


Before and After child care is available at a rate of $10 per hour.  We will offer Before Care starting at 8 am and After Care until 5:30 pm.  Children will be allowed on the exhibit floor during these times under the supervision of a camp counselor.

Science You Can Touch!

413 Beltrami Ave NW
Bemidji, MN 56601
Phone: 218-444-4472
Fax: 218-444-4473
www.hscbemidji.org
Email: contact@hscbemidji.org

Americorps Has Arrived!

Cedar 5 has arrived! Nine enthusiastic members of Americorps are helping HSC accomplish projects ranging from basement cleanup and organization to social media assistance. Their skills and training have already been greatly appreciated and things are getting done that would otherwise have to wait for another day. They will be here until April 26.

March Events for Kids and Adults

Connect with us! Come celebrate our 19th birthday with a free day at Headwaters Science Center on March 9, 2013. This will be a fun-filled day with a free pass to the exhibit floor and a 19% discount in The Science Store for all new and current members. There will be a huge birthday cake and other treats, floor demonstrations by HSC staff and an opportunity to become a member or renew your existing membership before the prices go up in May.

But that's not all.

The Works is coming and you are invited to family engineering night! The Works is a hands-on museum in Bloomington that makes learning about engineering, science and technology interesting, understandable, and fun.
Headwaters Science Center and The Works are joining forces on March 12th 13th and 14th to offer workshops and classroom visits to educators in our community and region. On the evening of Tuesday, March 12th, HSC will co-host Family Engineering Night with The Works.
Come join us as we engage in some hands-on engineering projects. This is a free event, thanks to generous support from Karvakko Engineering of Bemidji, and will be a lot of fun for everyone! Here is the schedule

• March 12th, 6 to 8 pm. Free Family Engineering Night at HSC, supported by Karvakko Engineering of Bemidji
• March 13th, Free one-hour classroom workshops at schools K-5, "Super Circuits" or "What Floats Your Boat".
• March 14th, professional development at HSC:

Session 1: 10:00 to 11:00 am, "What is Engineering"
Session 2:   1:00 to   2:30 pm, "Reverse Engineering"

 There are no fees except $10.00 to cover lunches on the 12th and 14th. Please call ahead if you plan to participate (218) 444-4472 or email director@hscbemidji.org.

Behind the Scenes

  By Frank Hazard

There’s always something going on at HSC, with the building of exhibits, repairs, remodeling, and animal care in the background by all of the staff. Behind the Scenes would not be properly done without explaining a little about the building in this first installment.

Many readers already know that the building was remodeled for use as a JC Penney Store in the early 1940s. After JC Penney moved to the Paul Bunyan Mall in 1977, the building evolved a couple more times, becoming a restaurant, hardware store, and finally Headwaters Science Center in 1993. Our building has a number of interesting features; one is the stairway for the 2nd floor apartments of the building to the south of us that hangs into the Science Center. When it is very quiet in the building you can hear the tenants going up and down their stairs, and it sounds like people are in our building. It’s very unnerving the first time you hear it!

We get this space back from the store to the north by way of a room in the basement with an old boiler furnace under the back of the store, accessible only from the Science Center. The old furnace was reputed to heat a number of the buildings on this side of the alley, a common thing in early days. This building in its reincarnation as a JC Penney store was made out of three buildings. The north building was torn down to the basement level and rebuilt from the ground up. The other two were combined at the ground floor level, but the basements were never consolidated beyond having openings to go between them. It makes for an interesting labyrinth of rooms and floor levels and some very challenging lighting.

The grading of the alley has changed over the years behind the building; the alley is now 2 1/2 ft above the main floor level. At one time the alley was low enough to have windows in the basement (the glass now looks out at dirt) and what appears to be a door, going outside up to alley level, is now bricked in.

 A number of people have said that they remember the hot air heaters blowing in the entryway of JC Penney. The massive heaters are still there, but lack hot water from the long cold boiler to heat the air. In all there are many places in the building where time has stood still since at least the early 1940s if not before. Management of old construction is an interesting challenge and keeps us busy with tasks that the public might not see.