Clarkson Honors Students Bring Spooky Science to North Country Children’s Museum
A favorite Halloween tradition returns to the North Country Children’s Museum this fall as Clarkson University Honors Program students once again host Science Spooktacular, a weekend of hands-on experiments, activities and frighteningly fun STEM.
Families are invited to drop in from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, when Clarkson Honors students will lead five spooky, STEM-based activities designed for young museum visitors. Science Spooktacular is included with regular museum admission.
The annual event is the culmination of weeks of work by students in the Clarkson Honors Program’s Introduction to Community Engagement course. Each fall, 10 Honors students from the class work in pairs to develop five original activities combining STEM with a Halloween theme.
Each student dedicates about 20 hours to the project, learning about the North Country Children’s Museum and its impact on the community while planning, testing and leading activities for local children and families.
“The Science Spooktacular brings new families to the museum and makes STEM fun and accessible,” said Sharon Vegh Williams, executive director of the North Country Children’s Museum. “It serves hundreds of local kids each year, many of whom have limited access to hands-on science experiences outside of this setting. The event also gives families a direct connection to Clarkson University.”
For the Clarkson students, the longstanding partnership offers a chance to develop teaching, communication and planning skills while sharing their STEM knowledge with the next generation.
“Spooky Science Weekend reminded me that making an impact in a community doesn’t always have to be something huge,” said Clarkson Honors Student Nicolena Fazio ’27, a chemical engineering major and past participant. “It can simply mean showing up, making connections and contributing where you can.”
Abby Jeffers ’27, a civil engineering major who also previously participated, said the experience taught her lessons that have carried into her engineering internships.
“I loved getting to see the enthusiasm that all the kids brought to our activity,” Jeffers said. “This experience taught me the importance of being able to tailor an activity to a wide variety of ages and interest levels.”
