Outreach program provides ingredients for STEM inspiration
“That smells terrible,” said seventh-grader Miles Higgins as he poured bleach into a beaker filled with purple cabbage juice. The solution immediately changed color to pale yellow; holding his nose, Higgins leaned closer to observe the transformation. Science, it seems, is occasionally stinky. Powerful odors, the whir of a blender, and children’s laughter emanated from a room at the Harvard Ed Portal in Allston recently as Higgins and six peers worked through a “Science and Cooking for Kids” lab. The hands-on program, now in its fifth year, is coordinated by the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and Harvard’s Public School Partnerships team to pique kids’ interests in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) through an approachable medium: food. The students took part in the week long class as part of the Ed Portal’s Summer Explorations program. Miles Higgins adds lemon juice to a red cabbage juice solution...