“Things that glow” was the subject Wednesday at the Great Bend Public Library, as the summer reading program continues. At Glow Parties in the morning and afternoon, kids sat under ultraviolet “black” lights that made neon colors glow as Children’s Librarian “Miss Amanda” read “The Day-Glo Brothers,” the true story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s bright ideas and brand new colors.
They learned how florescence works and wore glow necklaces while playing games and eating treats. They also made some florescent slime.
This year’s theme for the summer reading program from children through 6th grade is “Fizz Room Read!” Events for the next two Wednesdays are the return of Dan Heath as “Dan Dan the Magic Man” at 3:30 p.m. on July 23, and “Fizz & Boom Experiments” at 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on July 30.
Carol Danielson, Great Bend, has enjoyed watching children learn during this year’s summer reading program. For the Glow Party, she loaned the library some “glow in dark” uranium glassware she has collected over the years. She also donated a plasma ball to the library after the “Mad Science” program that kicked off the summer program.
“The 20th century has arrived in Great Bend,” Danielson commented. “I used to work at General Atomics, San Diego, and I helped organize these kind of science shows at plasma science conferences.” Danielson said she worked at General Atomics for 29 years, originally as a publications manager, but got involved with science education around 1995. She won many awards, including a Department of Energy “Distinguished Associate” plaque award, signed by Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson in 2000. “It was the only civilian award ever given at that time,” she said.
That year she also received a special award for education and outreach from Fusion Power Associates, recognizing her efforts to educate students, teachers and the general public about the benefits of fusion.