WHEN SCI COMM BECOMES PERSONAL: 'ROCKS & ROCKETS' OUTREACH EVENT IN MY RURAL HOMETOWN

Colby, KS, is one of the most rural places, not just in the state of Kansas, but also in the United States of America. As such, there are typically fewer informal science education opportunities for young people than there are in larger cities. One possible consequence of this is that rural students are less likely to attend four-year colleges than their suburban or urban peers. With this in mind, PIs Lamm, Bosch and Kempton sought and received funding from the GSA E-an Zen Fund for Outreach to host an outreach event in Colby, KS, on June 18th, 2022. Colby was selected because of its isolated location in western KS and because PIs Lamm and Bosch are from this community.

Our event, called “Rocks & Rockets”, was held in the Colby Event Center, which features two gymnasiums and assorted meeting rooms. In one gymnasium, participants could explore two Giant Mars Maps (25’ x 25’) from the ShareSpace Foundation, experience an astronaut training course, and play with stomp rockets. The other gymnasium held 10 exhibitor booths on the outside walls and 18 non-facilitated activities at tables in the center of the gym. Exhibitors included university geoscience departments, the Kansas Geological Survey and Kansas Strong. Most exhibitors included hands-on activities, such as fossil hunting, playing ‘mineral detective’, and building a volcano.

There were a total of 34 volunteers, including the PI: 8 local residents, 4 PI family members, and 21 out-of-town exhibitors. The mix of local and out-of-town volunteers contributed significantly to the success of the event. The local knowledge and community connections of PIs Lamm and Bosch were also key for promoting the event and facilitating networking of local volunteers with the out-of-town experts.

Upon entrance, attendees signed in, including information on the number of people in their group and where they were from. Each child got a ticket for a door prize drawing. A total of 289 visitors signed in and 161 tickets for door prizes were given away. An exit survey was originally planned but could not be carried out due to logistical difficulties. However, based on the registration data, it’s clear that participation was highest among local residents and those within about 30 minutes of the event venue, demonstrating the importance of holding such events in rural communities.