It was a mind-blowing day for hundreds of students and teachers in the western suburbs on Wednesday as they took a field trip to an immersive, two-day science fair at Morton College in Cicero.
Kids filing into the Morton College gym learned the line between magic and science can disappear.
Eight-year-old Kameyah Davenport, a 3rd grader at McKinley Elementary School in Elgin, discovered the power of light refraction. Suddenly, invisibility is possible, along with all sorts of mind-blowing stuff.
“It’s actually pretty cool to be honest. This is my second time doing it,” she said.
For two days, the gym turned science center, is hosting nearly 2,000 students for the Impossible Science Festival.
“I’m going to have to be honest, this is fun,” Kameyah said.
The fun was funded by a grant from West40, a regional support center for schools in western Cook County.
Jason Latimer brought the idea all the way from San Diego. He’s a museum curator, physicist, and award-winning magician who’s not afraid to share his secrets, such as using negative electrical charges to create levitation.
Latimer reframes science experiments as magic for maximum engagement.
“Everything in this room is an impossible subject that’s been brought to life through science; whether it’s invisibility, levitation, mindreading, animation – all of it happens inside this room,” he said.
The real magic is in the moment when a kid discovers their love for science.
The Impossible Science Festival continues Thursday at Morton College. It’s the first time it’s ever made a stop outside of California.