Special Education School Hosts Science Fair for Kids in Pasadena

Hillsides Education Center, celebrating its 25th year of providing special education to children needing individualized attention for severe emotional disturbances like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities, hosted is sixth annual science fair. Seventy students participated in this year’s science fair with projects on various topics, such as the Mars landing, robots, volcanoes, geology, and many projects on individual flora and fauna.

In preparation to the science fair, a group of children and teachers toured Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena where they learned about the Mars landing and the rover expedition. After their tour the children were interested in learning more about the landing on Mars and what the outcomes of this might be. Having varying degrees of learning disabilities or emotional disturbances like ADHD, students worked together to make an extensive science fair project with a model of the chosen landing site, a model of how the rover could have traveled on Mars surface, and several projects on the proposed plans for Mars.

Earlier students competed in the First Lego League Qualifying Tournament in Glendale with a Lego robot they had built themselves. The group’s robot received first place in the category of Robot Design as well as winning the “Against All Odds Award.” The children, all in special education classes at Hillsides Education Center, also showed their award winning robot at the science fair.

Supporting the science fair, Las Candelas, an organization which assists emotionally disturbed children in foster care, provided event programs and individual name badges for the participating children, along with community support by their members. “The first year of the science fair the kids were very quiet and would barely talk about their projects and now the kids have grown in confidence and in their presentations,” said Las Candelas President Karen Whyte. “When my children had a science project they brought it home and we worked on it together, but these kids don’t have that ability. They have amazing special education teachers who help them and guide them through each project.”

Each child is given individual attention and help by their special education teachers to assist them with the project they have chosen. “When deciding upon individual projects many of the children know what they want to do and how to do it, but some need to be walked through the whole process,” said science teacher Kurtis Ranslem. “As the projects build momentum, so do all the children.”

The Hillsides Education Center science fair brought not only an interest to learn about science and the world around them to the children, but also brought families together to celebrate their children’s education and academic triumphs. “These are impressive exhibits that are well presented and the kids are excited, educated, and willing to talk to anyone about what they have learned,” said a parent of a Hillsides Education Center student, who wishes to remain anonymous.
# # #

About Hillsides Education Center: As a special education and private school founded in 1982, Hillsides Education Center creates a safe learning environment for students who require individualized attention due to severe emotional disturbances like ADHD or learning disabilities. To learn more about Hillsides Education Center, visit www.Hillsides.org.

Hillsides
940 Avenue 64
Pasadena, CA 91105
(323) 254-2274
info@hillsides.org
www.Hillsides.org
Contact: Marisol Barrios-Jordan
(323) 254-2274 ext. 274
mbarriosjordan@hillsides.org

This release was published on openPR.