GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN (November 19, 2009) -

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Each year the Aquinas College Chemistry Society (ACS) sponsors St. Albert's Day of Science by inviting fourth grade students from local Catholic grade schools to Albertus Magnus Hall of Science to observe and participate in science demonstrations. This year approximately 45-50 students came to the Aquinas campus on Wednesday, November 18 to participate in demonstrations.

Forty-five student volunteers planned the day, ran the demonstrations and acted as guides for the students while on campus. Most of the demonstrations were chemistry related such as the gummy bear sacrifice, the collapsing can and elemental flame tests. Biology and physics were used in the static orb and balloon rockets demonstrations.

In explaining the goal of St. Albert's Day, student volunteer Molly Soper said, "The purpose of St. Albert's Day of Science is to celebrate the feast day of St. Albert, patron saint of scientist. We do demonstrations with 4th grade student to encourage them to see that science can be really cool and to motivate future generations of scientists. Every year we get positive feedback from both teachers and students. Students get excited about demonstrations that made a mess or where fire is involved, but they also like the more subdued experiences. One teacher last year said that he couldn't get the kids to stop talking about it. And that's what we want. We want to kids to be inspired and excited about science."

The event was planned and operated by AQ students.