April 21, 2006

Hands on Science

Youth Science Institute’s nature science camps have kids coming back for more

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Touted as the “best kept secret in Santa Clara Valley,” Youth Science Institute has been exciting kids about science since 1953. But that’s all about to change.

Kids learn all about creek habitat at YSI Alum Rock. Photo by Bonnie LeMat

Youth Science Institute’s [YSI] three locations—Alum Rock, Sanborn and Vasona Centers provide natural science studies. YSI is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to providing and enhancing science education in schools and the community. Today, YSI educates 30,000 children a year in schools and at its three science and nature centers.

With professionals who guide with hands-on instruction, kindergarteners through 12th graders from all over the valley attend after school, Saturdays and science summer camps enriching their knowledge of life, earth, physical and social science.

“It’s a great place for her to come,” said Carol Din of her daughter, Allara, a Sierramont Middle School student who has attended YSI the past two years. “It gives her a chance to work with things she loves and a real sense of responsibility.”

Allara Din first heard about YSI in school and attended one of their presentations on spiders. She’s now a volunteer at the Alum Rock Center, caring for spiders, snakes, birds and her favorite, a soft, furry chinchilla.

The Centers
The Alum Rock Center is located within the 780-acre park of the same name. The center features live native birds, mammals, reptiles and the Holmes Bird Collection, which displays over 100 specimens of birds from around the world.

Two YSI kids having fun at the Alum Rock Center: left; Alexis Vargas holds a gopher snake and Sochilt Ramos who wants to be a vet. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

How did the Ohlone Indians live in Santa Clara Valley? The kids who attend YSI find out by grinding acorns at the Sanborn Center Park. Photo by Bonnie LeMat

The Sanborn Center is located within the 3,600-acre lushly wooded Sanborn County Park in Saratoga. It features natural history displays, a live arthropod menagerie, live reptiles and amphibians. There is also an organic garden and a walk along the San Andreas Fault.

The Vasona Center is nestled within the 150-acre Vasona Park in Los Gatos. New exhibits include a watershed wall, a fossil dig, a snake station and displays of reptiles, amphibians and other aquatic animals. The Viola Anderson Native Plant Trail winds past the center and overlooks Vasona Lake.

YSI even has its own thrift and gift store located at 3151 Alum Rock Avenue, where 100 percent of the net proceeds benefit the non-profit.

A Science Education
In addition to the school and group programs, YSI offers summer science day camps, family science safaris, children’s afternoon science classes, insect fairs and wildlife festivals.

“There is a gap in science education,” said YSI executive director Suzanne Mulcahy. “Teachers do what they can but we’re here to bridge the gap. In 10 years, our vision is to increase the kids who attend to 100,000.”

But YSI’s mission is not just about numbers. They make science fun for kids while teaching them critical thinking skills. YSI focuses on hands-on learning of life sciences, physical sciences and social sciences including biology, chemistry, physics, geology and astronomy.

Impact Earth, held at the Alum Rock Center, will study the difference between comets, asteroids, meteors, meteorites and even make a dry ice comet. The Birds and the Bees explores the role birds and insects play in pollination, assisted by a hike in the park to look for the creatures and a flower craft to take home. The Trail Mix will explore the park learning safety etiquette while enjoying hiking games, activities and making your own trail mix to snack on.

Volunteer Max Smith holds a western toad in front of the Holmes Bird Collection at the Alum Rock Center. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Vasona Park is featuring Structurally Strong, where kids make and test a variety of structures such as bridges, frames and containers in an engineering adventure. The Creatures of the Deep adventure travels to the depth of the oceans exploring the unusual world of deep sea fish and creating a viper fish to bring home.

The Sanborn Center is featuring an Insect Fair promises an up-close look at live insects, spiders, scorpions, millipedes and more. Adding to the excitement will be crafts, face painting and of course, a bug themed bake sale. A recent Forest Conservation Day featured interactive exhibits and activities including a steam donkey, sawmill, tree nursery, a guided nature walk and a tour of the Youth Science Institute’s Sanborn Science and Nature Center.

YSI has unique adventures for the kids, but many of the events are for families. Their summer science camps are weeklong and consist of classes like Water World, Extreme Animals, Jurassic Giants, Radical Reptiles, Phunky Physics, Something Fishy and Curious Chemistry.

It’s all about the kids
“YSI is a great place for kids to be,” said community relations manager Leyla Gunduz. “They come for the school programs and there is such an air of excitement. For many of them it is their first experience seeing live animals up close.”

And the kids seem to love it there. Max Smith holds a western toad. He heard about YSI from his cousin and joined. Ashley Kinney shares a multi-legged millipede with her fellow volunteers.

Seventeen-year-old Jim Sproch wanted to know about the red tailed hawk and now he’s a handler at the Alum Rock Center. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

“When I saw the place, taking care of the animals and working with the birds or prey I had to join,” said Kinney, who has been attending for 8 years.

Seventeen-year-old Jim Sproch is a handler for a red-tailed hawk. He wears protective gloves and the bird is tethered.

“I went to the Vasona Center for five years but I wanted to learn about the birds of prey,” said Sproch, who attends Westmont High School. “Now I’ve been here for four years.”

That’s just what you might find at YSI. Kids come and stay.

Notre Dame seventh grader Alexis Vargas took the summer camp two years ago.

“I was intrigued and it was fun,” said Vargas, who is also a volunteer.

Sochilt Ramos heard about YSI from one of her teachers.

“I’ve only been coming here two weeks,” said Ramos. “I love animals and wanted to have more experience with them. I want to be a vet.”