Light Sabers, Dr. Pepper, and More

I am the ASA’s director of development, but thanks to COVID-19, I’m now a schoolteacher, lunch lady, and CEO (chief entertainment officer) to my two kids who are also stuck at home. I never thought I would have to apologize for my three-year-old interrupting a video meeting with no pants on #pottytrainingduringCOVID. I’m in a constant search for activities to keep them busy and their brains from rotting.

When I asked my 8-year-old, Drew, if he would like to enter the ASA Virtual Science Fair, he immediately said, “YES!” When I asked what science experiment he wanted to do, he responded, “I want to build different light sabers and see which one works the best.”

After I explained we didn’t have the necessary resources to do that (i.e., George Lucas), he was less than enthused. But when I told him he could win a cool prize and maybe even a gift card, he was motivated once again. The next hurdle to overcome was deciding what burning question he had that could be answered by an “earthly” science experiment we could actually pull off. Drew liked none of my ideas and was having trouble thinking of one of his own. That’s when I decided to call in the “big guns.”

Thankfully, the ASA GivesBack group—whose purpose is to promote a culture of philanthropy at the ASA—organized a group of ASA members who volunteered to be mentors for science fair participants.

Drew was paired with Eric Wilken, a graduate student instructor at Ball State University. Drew sent Eric a list of his interests, which included Star Wars, toxic chemicals, airplanes, and Nerf guns. From that list, Eric came prepared to the first Zoom call with lots of ideas to help Drew come up with an experiment.

Surprising to me, Drew decided to do a study that would determine what liquids plants grow best in (and which are toxic). Spoiler alert: Don’t water your plants with Dr. Pepper.

It was a wonderful experience for Drew, and he is already thinking about what to do next. Success!

I shared this story with you because it is a great example of what the ASA is doing to inspire kids and improve statistics education by providing innovative resources to educators (teachers and parents). It’s also a fantastic example of the kind of activity the ASA GivesBack group is focused on and how quickly ASA members step up to help.
Since ASA Giving Day is coming up next month (and I’m still the ASA director of development), I also shared this story as an example of the impact you make by giving—giving of your time and/or giving financially. This year on Giving Day, we are showcasing all the ways you can give—donate, volunteer, and share a message of hope and encouragement with your fellow ASA members. Who couldn’t use a message of hope and encouragement right now?

We like to have a little fun, too, so be sure to check out all the ways you can win a cool prize on Giving Day and participate in the Chapter Challenge and University Challenge.

May the Force be with you!