FORT WALTON BEACH — Jaiden Grant leaned forward but kept his hand close to his body as he waited anxiously for permission to pick up a cotton swab coated in red paint to begin his color wheel.
The 5-year-old was one of about 20 students at the Head Start on McGriff Street participating in science activities Thursday morning to cap off a year-long exploration into the subject.
“A lot of the kids love it so much that I really feel it’s going to set the learning course for the rest of their lives,” said Pat Kennedy, a volunteer who helped implement an arts and science program at the child development center. “It’s just getting them different experiences that they might not have gotten otherwise.”
Jaiden and the other 5-year-olds did the best they could to remain on good behavior, but sometimes excitement got the upper hand.
“We’re out of yellow sticks!” said Bryson Shankland after one of his classmates took the last cotton swab with yellow paint on it from the paper cup.
Shawn Gottschalk, who works at the Emerald Coast Science and was leading Thursday’s special experiments, quickly swooped in and fixed the problem. Bryson and his classmates resumed mixing “first colors” to make “second colors” afterwards.
See photos of the kids doing the experiments »
“I go in and do the fun stuff,” Gottschalk said. “I’m very tactile and kinesthetic.”
The center decided to bring in Gottschalk as a wrap up for the recently introduced science curriculum. Thursday was a special day for the “super scientists,” said Angel Agagas, who leads most of the science classes.
Each student was selected to participate because they showed exceptional interest throughout the year as they explored a variety of science concepts through the use of bubbles, volcanoes and lava lamps, she said.
In addition to making their own color wheels by mixing the primary colors together, the students also got to watch a reaction as vinegar mixed with food dye was poured on top of baking powder and another example of color-mixing with play dough.
Agagas and Kennedy plan to continue the program next year and are currently working with the Science Center to write a grant to expand the program. They said they have high hopes for its future.
“It has been amazing,” Agagas said. “It’s definitely a subject that is definitely important for kids to start early, especially for their confidence.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.