Headwaters Science Center

Get Your Tickets to "E-Cubed"!

2012-02-10T08:37:00.000-06:00

This is about the third annual e3 dinner extravaganza at HSC on Saturday February 18, starting at 5:30 pm. If you don't have your tickets yet, they are available at HSC, or call 218-444-4472 and make a reservation with a credit card. You can get all the details by following this link.

This menu will provide a real incentive to get your tickets now!

Robotics

2012-01-27T08:19:00.000-06:00

Another First Lego League (FLL, grades 4-9) season has come and gone. In this project our teams met every Thursday after school for 8 weeks at HSC where we worked in collaboration with Beltrami County 4H’s Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) program. We started with 4 tournament slots and then donated one bid to a neighboring county and arrived at regionals in Northome with 3 teams rip roaring ready to go and busting at the seams. It was a big big task, but we were able to turn 20-25 squirrelly kids into focused winning teams! Our young engineers designed, built, and programmed their robots with sensor-stimulated artificial intelligence to independently maneuver about, completing a variety of tasks on a competition board with food safety as our unifying theme this year. They also presented accompanying project reports, skits, and demonstrations which identified food safety issues and then they proposed technological solutions to these problems.

This competition is an amazing example of how kids can grow in ways we expect, but also in ways and manners beyond how we might imagine they would. In addition to honing abilities in mechanical and computer engineering, they learn teamwork and time management skills as they prepare their robots and develop them to championship status.

Our squads brought home hardware from the Northern Minnesota Regional Robotics Tournament once again. This year they won two bronze and a silver medal with one team garnering a special recognition and proclamation for design excellence by using pneumatics to accomplish robotic tasks. This is a high profile program that brings HSC much recognition in the community. Though we did not make our bid to the FLL State Robotics Tournament this year (as we have in years past), our top team missing by just one ranking, most of the kids

As for this year, we are not finished showing our "right stuff." Look for us at the "ROBO SHACK" this summer at the Beltrami County Fair where we will feature these and other technological achievements of our young engineers. They have formed a permanent club and are continuing to meet the first Thursday of every month at HSC.

THANK YOU – Paul Bunyan Communications is and has been our steady major sponsor, supporting us in equipment acquisition (these robots are not cheap) and by paying our tournament entry fees along with other associated costs. This project would also not be possible without the volunteer efforts of parents and coaches––thanks a bunch!

If you would like to help us out next season or have a child in this age range who shows a real interest in technology, especially robotics, contact James Owens at 444-4472.

Reef News

2012-01-27T07:58:00.000-06:00

Many things around HSC are continually changing; such is life in our 210 gallon reef tank. The tank’s charm lies not so much in its capacity to hold liquid but its capacity to support marine biota. Here in Bemidji we are about as far from the ocean as anyone on Earth could be, so this tank has been a bit of a local spectacle. We are lucky to have had it donated to us. Come see it if you haven’t lately.

The task of reef tank maintenance is formidable, as it takes a generous input of energy, a plethora of specialized equipment, pure H2O, NaCl (sodium chloride = salt), the right combination of living elements, and timely applied human capital. It is all worth it, though, when you hear the excitement it generates, especially with young children. The little ones shriek and shrill as they easily recognize Nemo and Marlin (Clownfish––Amphiprion percula). Pixar and its computer animators helped make these lovable vertebrates a popular part of the America’s entertainment lexicon, and in so doing they actually reinvigorated the reef aquarium industry.

Let’s tell part of a tale that two very different species share. Clownfish live in a "symbiotic" (mutually beneficial) relationship with our bubble tip anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor). Clownfish are very busy fish and extremely aggressive. Because they are quite active, the clownfish are thought to be "clowning around." Clownfish perform an elaborate dance with an anemone before taking up residence, gently touching the bubble tipped tentacles with different parts of their bodies until they are acclimated to their host. A layer of mucus on the clownfish skin makes it immune to the fish-eating anemone’s lethal sting. In exchange for food scraps and safety from predators, the clownfish drives off intruders and preens its host anemone, removing parasites.

Clownfish spend their entire lives with their host anemone, rarely straying more than a few meters from it. They lay their eggs about twice a month on the nearest hard surface concealed by the fleshy base of the anemone, and they aggressively protect the developing embryos. Just after a clownfish hatches, it drifts near the surface for a week or two as a tiny, transparent larva. Then it metamorphoses into a miniature clownfish about a centimeter long that descends to the reef. If the young fish doesn’t find an anemone and acclimatize to its new life within a day or two, it will die.

Surprisingly, all clownfish are born male. They have the ability to change their gender, but will do so only to become the dominant female of a group. This change is irreversible! Should the female in the anemone group die, the dominant male then becomes female and breeds with one of the males that inhabit the same sea anemone. Changing gender is not particularly rare among coral reef fish, but most change from female to male.

Food, Food and Fun

2012-01-27T07:45:00.000-06:00

Coming Saturday February 18, 2012

The science of food has never been more personal!

For the third edition of “e-cubed” (e3 III), Headwaters Science Center will take "Dining at the next level" to completely new heights. This year, gourmet cooking will be a live experience! Chef Mike Holleman with Indian Harvest has gathered together an extraordinary company of chefs who will join him in preparing special recipes - LIVE! In addition to Mike, participants are:

Chef Bill Downs - Sanford Center
Chef Arron Evenson - Lueken’s
Chef Reed Olson - Wild Hare
Chefs and specialties from Minnesota Nice,
Cabin Coffeehouse, Tutto Bene, Harmony Co-op, and others
Chef Daniel Eastman - Concordia Language Villages

Tickets are $45 and are on sale now at HSC. Stop in at 413 Beltrami Avenue to pick up your tickets. You may reserve them up to 24 hours in advance, and pay with a credit card by calling 218-444-4472.

Fundraiser Ends - A Success!

2012-01-22T09:01:00.000-06:00

The “I Gave Ten” fundraising campaign came to a close on December 31. We are thrilled to report that we were able to take full advantage of the $40,000 in matching funds due to the generous donations and support of the Bemidji area, surrounding communities, and far away friends of the Science Center. $40,000 was raised by Dec 15th, but our ultimate goal was to reach $100,000. At the time of this writing we have raised (including the match) about $90,000. THANK YOU to all who have helped us make it this far.

If you would like to help us make it the rest of the way to our goal we will welcome donations at any time. It has been very inspiring and heartwarming to see so many people step up to help insure the continued success of the Headwaters Science Center. It has been encouraging to have so many stop in and offer not only monetary support, but verbal support for what the science center means to them and to this community.

Here’s what people are saying about Headwaters Science Center:

Without a doubt one of the most hands-on, family-friendly science centers anywhere.

I love HSC! I love the people, the exhibits, the programs, the animals… I love the whole spirit of the place! Keep up the great work!

HSC Rocks! (and chirps, slithers, grows, etc.) May HSC continue to touch lives, empower the community and impact the future.

This is an investment in our kids! “The employees and volunteers at HSC are making a difference in so many peoples’ lives! This place is awesome!

Like the Mississippi Headwaters – a source of inspiration for discovery.

The Science Center is a great asset to the community.

A big, hearty, Thank You! goes out to Paul Bunyan Broadcasting, RP Broadcasting, Coyote 102, Minnesota Public Radio, Q107, Paul Bunyan Communications, The Bemidji Pioneer, and the Buyline for helping us get our message out. We couldn’t have done it without you. We appreciate you and the way you support this community.

THANK YOU!

You are Invited to A Celebration on January 13!

2011-12-21T11:08:00.000-06:00

For a generous outpouring of support during the last two months of fundraising, everyone at Headwaters Science Center wishes to say, Thank You to people in the Bemidji region who "Gave Ten", gave more, gave again, gave on-line, gave anonymously, gave for the first time . . .

You all helped to meet our challenging goal that will help HSC continue to grow and move forward. The public is invited on Friday, January 13, 5:30-7:00 pm and will include refreshments, free admission to the exhibit floor and a chance to learn more about this exciting time of transition. Please come and help us celebrate!!

Update For "I Gave Ten" Fundraiser

2011-12-16T07:02:00.000-06:00

We did it! Our first goal of raising at least $40,000 by December 15 was accomplished. The total as of December 15, 2011 is $41,092, and still counting. This means the $40,000 challenge grant from an anonymous donor will kick in, raising the total to $81,092.

The response from folks in northern Minnesota and, indeed, around the country was impressive. For the thousands of kids and adults that visit and learn at HSC every year, THANK YOU. Your generosity is truly appreciated.

While we have enough cash to keep the doors open and to support a new executive director, this fundraiser is not over with. Our stated goal is to raise $100,000 by December 31, 2011. If you have not contributed, please do so now .

The future of our country depends on a cadre of trained scientists and technicians; HSC often provides the spark that ignites that latent fire of wonderment and enthusiasm for science and technology. Let’s keep the fires burning!

What HSC Really Means

2011-12-14T08:30:00.001-06:00

Kinetic Sculpture Exhibit

As children growing up we all understood how a teeter-totter worked. We understood concepts of balance, mass, leverage, and gravity. We just didn’t know it. As an adult I’ve always believed the lever is by far the most useful device ever discovered. Such a simple notion, but I’ve used makeshift levers to help with many a task from household cleaning to moving boulders. Modern-day inventors have even capitalized on this idea to sell simple and inexpensive ways to move furniture.

At the Headwaters Science Center in Bemidji, my favorite exhibit is the Kinetic Sculpture––a grand and fascinating piece of art that displays simple machines at work. The game of Mouse Trap that we used to play is a small example of this kind of design, but the Sculpture at HSC presents the concept on a magnificent scale. It is 10’ high and, through it’s winding wire framework, small balls travel around paths and twirl, whirl, drop, and are catapulted here and there by an array of simple mechanisms until they reach the bottom, only to be lifted by a long hoisting device until they again reach the top. It is a continuous cycle. Each little machine is fascinating onto itself, but as a group they create a work of moving art that is mesmerizing and relaxing to watch.

The front window at HSC now displays a playground. It is an appropriate environment demonstrating the idea of “hands-on” science, or learning through play. At the center of the display is a teeter-totter indicating the progress of the current fundraising blitz that will bring in funds to pay a salary for a new director. The “I Gave Ten” idea is elementary: $10 from 4,000 people will bring in the better part of a director’s salary for a year. It’s a simple concept, but one that can accomplish a mighty task. Watch the teeter-totter move as donations come in and––if you wish––come to HSC and play!
Check out their web site at www.hscbemidji.org and make an on-line donation, stop in, mail it (413 Beltrami Ave), or call and donate with a credit card (218-444-4472).

Julie Bengtson

Updates by Laddie Elwell

2011-11-23T09:07:00.002-06:00

Flowing With the Current

A Little History;

A Lot of Vision

The Vision –

Why did Headwaters Science Center happen to grow in Bemidji? There was never a loud call from the City’s population that there was a great need for a science center, and the City “fathers” and the Chamber of Commerce weren’t even aware that it was happening, nor did they, like most of the community, seem to care. Really, why should they have?

But that was about twenty years ago, and both City leaders and the Chamber are now supportive, as are a large number of people in the community! And who could have guessed that so many wonderful, and sometimes strange and/or hilarious, things would happen to bring us to the beginning of 2012?

In the early 1990’s, there was a group of people in town who were aware that there were quite a few folks with interests in things other than sports and the arts... and that there were kids who had no place to go to enjoy recreational fun involving learning activities. Most of the thirty or so people who attended the first publicized meeting that led to the birth of HSC had grown up in places where they had access to museums, or they were taken to museums as children, and they wanted their kids and grandkids to enjoy museum experiences.

That’s how it started. The former J.C. Penney building was just sitting around, being host to a few gigs, but not being fully utilized after the restaurant and hardware store moved out. Rosemary Given Amble helped us gain temporary access to it, and later she and Bud Amble, Bill Baumgartner, and John Baer helped us arrange a reasonable 5-year mortgage to buy the 413 Beltrami Avenue property. Those of us on the original working committee considered the old building to be a perfect startup site for a small science center: and it has been!

But what do we do at HSC––and what’s our goal? Our mission states: The Headwaters Science Center’s mission is to provide intellectual stimulation and enjoyment for all children and adults in its northern Minnesota service area with scientific and echnological interactive displays, exhibits, and programs otherwise unavailable in the region. We do this, but it is an unexciting statement of the passion that those of us who work here feel about our real job.

Our real job is to help other people feel the wonder and excitement about how this very remarkable Universe we inhabit really works. Of course, we really don’t understand how everything does work, but, between us all at HSC and our scientist friends, we know many of the answers to questions about a lot of things! And we also know that there are lots of things that NOBODY knows so far... and that is exciting. We know that the kids we work with will grow up in a very different world, and we want to help them understand how to make decisions by carefully weighing alternatives, the way scientists do in assessing the results of carefully conducted experiments. But we also hope that along the way they will learn to feel a kinship with the Universe, that they will
see the magnificence in a butterfly’s wing, the precision in the chemical activities of every green leaf, and the true wonder of our Earth and all its inhabitants.

My Vision for HSC –

• Within a few months: a new executive director, passionate and knowledgeable about science and science center roles in rural areas and university towns, and appreciative of diverse cultures.

• Within two to five years: building the new center we need.

• Now and into the future: a soundly functioning, challenging, exciting, and up-to-date science center that will serve northern Minnesota exceptionally well!

HSC Seeks New Executive Director

2011-11-19T07:48:00.002-06:00

With the impending retirement of Dr. Laddie Elwell as Executive Director, Headwaters Science Center is actively seeking a new executive director. If you wish to apply for this position, the job description is posted on our web site along with instructions for applying. It closes on December 9, 2011. Just follow the link.

Job Title: Executive Director
Reports to: Chair of the Board of Directors
Supervises: All Center Staff and Volunteers
Posting Date: November 17, 2011
Application Due: December 9, 2011

The purpose of this position is to manage the day-to-day operations of the Headwaters Science Center consistent with the Center’s mission, plans, budgets and governance as approved and directed by the Board of Directors.

Give to the Max Day - November 16

2011-11-07T09:09:00.001-06:00

What if you could help us win $1000 just by giving 10 bucks? On Wednesday, November 16, Give to the Max Day, you can.

Last year 42,000 donors logged on to GiveMN.org and gave over $10 million to Minnesota charities in 24 hours during Give to the Max Day. Together, we have the power to raise thousands of dollars for Headwaters Science Center.

Give to the Max Day amplifies your giving impact in a number of ways:

1. Win a Golden Ticket! $1,000 will be given to a random donor's charity every hour. To increase your chances of winning, make several small donations throughout the day and night, or have a donation party with some friends and organize a scheduled giving event!

2. Put us on the Leader Board! $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000 prize grants will be awarded to the top three nonprofit organizations which receive the most dollars in 24 hours during Give to the Max Day.

3. $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000 prize grants will be awarded to the top three small nonprofit organizations - with budgets under $750,000 (that’s us) - which receive the most dollars on Give to the Max Day.

GiveMN.org is the smart way for you to discover, support and engage with nonprofits like HSC. The online giving platform is safe and secure for credit and debit cards; you will receive automated tax deductible receipts through email, and conveniently track and record your donations in a single online location.

Please consider participating in Give to the Max Day on Wednesday, November 16. GiveMN is easy to use, and your generous gift to Headwaters Science Center will make a huge difference to our future.

You can go to the HSC web site to make a donation or go directly to our project at GiveMN.org

Thank you

I Gave Ten

2011-11-01T09:01:00.001-05:00

WE ARE IN URGENT NEED OF YOUR HELP!

For nearly 20 years, Headwaters Science Center has served the Bemidji area and the Northern Minnesota region. However, due to a number of factors, the future of Headwaters Science Center is in jeopardy. We need your help to keep the doors open. Please show your support and help keep HSC a valuable and unique asset to the community and region.

“I GAVE TEN” is the theme of the HSC fundraiser beginning November 1, 2011. We are striving to motivate 4,000 supporters in our service area to donate a minimum of $10 each to secure a matching donation of $40,000 from an anonymous donor. This challenge has a December 15 deadline. Our ultimate goal is to raise $100,000.

HSC receives no direct public funding; we depend on grants, donations, store sales, and fees to support an annual operating budget of $229,000. Unfortunately, the current economic situation has depleted most grant opportunities and our current Director, Dr. Laddie Elwell, is retiring in February. Dr. Elwell has never received monetary compensation her 18 years of dedicated service and we are now faced with finding salary support for a new director. We need your help to overcome these challenging times.

November 16 has been selected as “Give to the Max Day” by GiveMN.org. This is an opportunity to donate on-line to Minnesota non-profits, including HSC. It allows donors to amplify their donations with up to $15,000 in prize grants! Last year, more than 42,000 donors logged on to GiveMN.org and gave over $10 million to Minnesota charities in 24 hours during Give to the Max Day. See our web site for details or go to GiveMn.org.

What you can do to help make this a successful fund raising effort:

1. First, make a generous contribution. You can donate by mail, by phone with a credit card, or on-line with a credit card on our web site or GiveMN.org web site.

2. Talk to your friends about contributing - spread the word on Facebook, Twitter and other media.

3. Write a letter to the editor in your local paper explaining why HSC is important to you.

Please help us keep HSC functioning as a viable educational resource.

Need to learn more about HSC? View a fact sheet.

Flowing With the Current by Laddie Elwell

2011-09-30T08:30:00.000-05:00

It was a great summer at HSC! Thanks to help from the Neilson Foundation, there were weeklong programs about Birds, Photography, Robotics (2 weeks), and Advanced Robotics, and an Ecology group that met once a week for ten weeks. HSC was glad to be able to offer scholarships to many youngsters to attend. There were also regular meetings of Science Club, Tots ‘n’ Science, and Discovery Science. Also, hundreds of tourists from all over the United States and Canada (and a number of foreign nations as well) crowded into the Center, so our staff was kept very busy!

Time is flying by with February coming up on the horizon, and by then we will have a new director, assuming everything happens as it should. This means that HSC’s budget has to become significantly larger in order to support a paid director and the expenses he or she will need to cover in order to do the job properly. One of these expenses will be to attend the annual conference of the Association of Science Technology Centers, ASTC, which we all refer to as “aztek.” Our association with ASTC makes it possible for us to offer free admission to 322 other science centers across the United States (and around the world!) as a perk of HSC membership.

Jim and I will be attending the ASTC conference in Baltimore in October. Because we have always enjoyed ASTC meetings, we’ve regarded them almost as vacations, although, in truth, they are very busy and a fair amount of work! Science museum staff from all over the world attend the conferences and incredible amounts of information about programs, exhibits, and activities are exchanged. HSC staff members have been presenters for a number of ASTC sessions, mostly in those designed for small science centers. The wonderful thing about ASTC is that science center people in general are very generous in sharing ideas about almost anything that goes on in science centers and museums!

Science After Dark

2011-08-07T08:41:00.001-05:00

Headwaters Science Center will be hosting their first Science After Dark event on Thursday, August 18 from 7-9pm at the Keg & Cork in Bemidji, MN.

Science After Dark is an opportunity for adults 21 and over to get together in a casual atmosphere and enjoy an evening of scientific entertainment. Guest physicist Glenn Schmieg, author and retired professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is coming to town and will perform entertaining and educational scintillating science exhibitions.

There will also be science trivia and other fun activities for everyone. In addition, Design Angler, our local digital marketing agency, will be offering door prizes which includes family Christmas photos using green-screen technology which means the background can be anything – Tahiti, Times Square, or even the moon. The grand door prize will be a family Christmas video from anywhere in the galaxy.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Headwaters Science Center or at the door.

Human Respiration and Circulation - Help Name the Exhibit!

2011-06-20T08:08:00.000-05:00

Headwaters Science Center staff wants input from its visitors in helping to name an exhibition that has been under development over a period of several years. The exhibition has been funded by Beltrami County, North Country Health Services, Bemidji Medical Equipment, and National Science Foundation through the Science Museum of Minnesota.

It will have about 15 stations that concern human respiration, circulation, nutrition and exercise. Models, videos, and activities will help visitors to understand the marvelous efficiencies of two remarkable human systems and why proper nutrition and exercise are so critical to their healthy function. The exhibition is intended to help visitors understand what respiration and circulation involve, how they work, and what can happen to make them more or less functional or severely impaired.

Originated through collaboration with B-WELL under the direction of Marti Lundin, BSU professor Muriel Gilman, Sanford cardiac therapist Susan Carlson, and HSC staff members have been planning the exhibition with the hope that it will have its formal opening in September and undergo prototyping later this summer. Prototyping is the process of setting up an exhibition in a preliminary form, with temporary signage and the expectation that changes will be made to make it more meaningful through critiques from its first viewers, our visitors.

The original name was “Save Your Breath”, but as the exhibition has developed, that name seemed inappropriate, and a “catchy” new name hasn’t come up in the developers’ minds. Some of the names that are being considered are: Body Function Junction, Circulation City, Head to Toe, Blood & Air, Tip Top Body Shop, Shape it up, The Body & How it Works, Life & Longevity, Vitalization Station, Body, Breath, & Blood, and Vital Spark.
The exhibition developers and HSC staff want a name that will be lively, appropriate to the topics involved, and be of interest to people of ages (about) 7 to 100+. They will select the most appealing name within the next few weeks. The winner will receive a yearlong family membership in Headwaters Science Center, which not only allows free access to HSC and reduced prices for programs and Science Store purchases, but free access to over 300 other science centers across the United States and abroad.

Persons wishing to submit names can drop them off at the Science Center, e-mail them to Laddie Elwell , or mail them to HSC, Post Office Box 1176, Bemidji, MN 56619. The name will be decided upon within four weeks.

A New Challenge

2011-05-09T10:33:00.000-05:00

Flowing With The Current

by Laddie Elwell

This is a difficult message to write. I want to explain what Headwaters Science Center can become to Bemidji and Northern Minnesota and what’s keeping that from happening. I also want to help everyone thoroughly understand why working with little kids is so critical and explain why HSC needs new leadership and funding by February 2012.

Our present building, wonderful as a starter, is a dead end as a proper science center for Northern Minnesota. It was intended to provide the beginning of a center that would serve people of all ages who want to know more about living organisms and the world
around them. Location, space, and funds prevent our staff from being able to do much more than provide exhibits and programs for children and families and some support for teachers, and that doesn’t pay the bills––nor does it fulfill the HSC mission or meet
community goals. (See our mission statement on our web site, noting in particular the phrase “children and adults.”)

At a time when social and economic problems facing our nation and world are mostly reliant on solutions based on good science, when too few young Americans are following scientific careers, and when American students lag behind students in other nations in science, it is still very difficult to find adequate financial support for informal
science education. A science center can stimulate youngsters’ lifelong interests in science and provide support for teachers and citizens in the form of workshops, equipment, and educational resources. A great many, if not most, productive scientists grew up being fascinated by exhibits, programs and/or collections in museums and science centers.

Science centers become important community and regional attractions because science is really interesting, stimulating, and–yes, it certainly can be fun! The newly proposed New Vision Project, which will link science with the arts, history, and culture,
will be particularly attractive to regional residents and to tourists!

Why is it important to work with children? Of course they’re cute, amusing, and occasionally maddening, but they are the future. Introduction to scientific procedures and methods can often help with all kinds of decision making: problems can be solved––or at least faced squarely and recognized for what they are. Hundreds of wonderfully supportive people have made HSC possible and viable for 17 years. By next February, HSC’s financial backing must be improved if it is to continue, for it will have to pay a new executive director and financial director, which it has not ever had to do. It is
time for HSC to have new administration––and it’s time for Jim and me to retire and encourage new ideas and projects.

Oja named Volunteer Youth of the Year

2011-04-21T07:32:00.000-05:00

From left are, front row, Kayla DeWitt and Maya Lindquist; middle row, August Black, William Knudson, Mattie Snyder, Nick Hoover, and Jacob Rudnick; and back row, Antton Oja, Youth Volunteer of the Year, and Jennifer Sanford, United Way of Bemidji Area.

Antton Oja has been named Bemidji’s “Inspire by Example” Volunteer Youth of the Year for his enthusiastic love of science that he brings to his volunteer services at the Headwaters Science Center.

The Headwaters Science Center has a Science Club that meets every Monday for children ages 6-13. Oja was an enthusiastic member of the Science Club while in this age group. Once he outgrew the club, he asked if he could continue as a volunteer.

Oja not only assists the students with their projects, but also helps set up and clean up of snacks and helps with material preparation for the activities.

“Science Club is a dynamic group and it takes a mature individual to adapt to the various roles required to be an effective volunteer,” said Kitura Main, volunteer coordinator for HSC. “Most importantly, Antton is a friend and mentor to the club members. He works hard to ‘get it right’ and his obvious excitement is infectious.”

Oja has volunteered for five years with the Science Club and has helped with the special events for eight years. He is 16 years old and a sophomore at Bemidji High School.

The Bemidji Inspire by Example Volunteer award program, in its 22nd year, is sponsored by United Way of Bemidji Area and the Bemidji Volunteer Directors.

2011 Summer Programs for All Ages!

2011-04-01T06:34:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the Neilson Foundation, HSC staff can offer four different week-long special programs and an Eco-Explorer program this summer in addition to continuing Science Club, Tots 'n' Science, and Discovery Science.
For more information or to register, call 218-444-4472 or come in to the Science Center. There are scholarships for qualified persons: please pick up an application form at the Center.

Offerings

Bird Watching: (3rd – 8th grade) Maximum class size 16 people.

Bird watching will meet from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, June 13th – 17th. Sessions will take place at the Science Center, Lake Bemidji State Park, and perhaps other outdoor sites.
Get outside, enjoy nature, and learn about birds and how to identify them. We will spend much of our time outside looking for and identifying birds. We will explore a variety of habitats and discuss what we are likely to see in those areas. This class will cover binocular use, field guides, identification tips, how to start a life list, as well as a few fun projects to attract birds to your own backyard.

Cost: $125.00

Eco-Explorers: This program is especially suitable for intergenerational pairs and 2-person adult mentor-youth (4th grade and up) teams, although individuals can also apply. Maximum enrollment of 12 2-person teams, or 25 people.

Explorers will meet ten times throughout the summer between June 17th and August 26th on Tuesdays. Explorers will meet at the Science Center at 10:00 am. Most sessions will take place on the Mississippi shoreline between the History Center and the bridge. We will be back at the Science Center by 4:00 pm.

Activities will include journaling, ecology games, collection techniques, story telling using displays, butterfly tagging, and several make-and-take-home projects such as a nature journal, plant press, pinning board and bird feeder. Skills addressed will include nature record keeping, species identification, transect sampling, river sampling and display development. The camp will terminate with an informal project presentation and picnic for all participants and their families.

Individual member: $125.00
Individual non-member: $140.00
A 2-person intergenerational or mentoring team: $175.00

Nature Photography: (3rd – 8th grade) Maximum class size 16 people.

The photography class will meet from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, August 1st to August 5th. Classes will be held at the Science Center, Lake Bemidji State Park, and perhaps other outdoor sites.
Come and have some fun with photography. Go on a scavenger hunt and learn how to see the world through the eye of the camera. Cameras will be provided for you to use during the week. You will learn some basic camera operations and guidelines for taking great photographs. We’ll discuss lighting, composition, close-ups, and creativity. We will be outside part of each day practicing specific skills and techniques. This class will end on Friday with a showcase of the students' work.

Cost: $125.00
Tech Camp I: (ages 8-14) Maximum class size 16

Camp will take place between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm August 1st – August 5th at the Science Center. This is an introductory robotics class utilizing the LEGO Mindstorms kits.

Learn the basic principles of mechanics, electricity and robotics in this hands-on program, that will include reverse engineering (take-apart), electronics, sensors, motor and servo control, programming and control techniques, as well as robotics applications in today’s society. Have a great time building, battling and manipulating bots this summer with others who share your interests.
Members: $95.00

Non-members $125.00

Tech Camp II: (ages 10 – 17, Tech Camp I graduates welcome) Maximum class size 16

Camp will take place between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm August 8th – August 12th at the Science Center. This is an intermediate robotics class utilizing Aquatic Remote Operated Vehicles. Challenge yourself to think critically; work with others to solve problems and share ideas. Expand your knowledge of robotics as you design and build Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV’s) as submersible diving robots. Launch them in Lake Bemidji and have a liquidy look beneath the surface with an underwater camera.
Members: $115.00

Non-members: $145.00

Continuation of Regular HSC Programs

Summer Science Club: (for ages 8-13)

Beginning June 9th, Science Club will meet 8 times throughout June and July from 2:00 to 4:00 on Thursday afternoons. Activities will cover a wide range of science topics.
Members: any 4 sessions for $38.00; all 8 sessions for $70.00.
Non-members: any 4 sessions for $42; all 8 sessions for $78.00.
If there is space (call to find out), each individual session costs $12 for members and non-members .

Discovery Science: (for ages 6-8)

Beginning June 8th, Discovery Science will meet throughout the summer at the Science Center from 1:00 – 2:00 on Wednesday afternoons. Activities will cover a wide range of natural and physical science topics. Sessions will include stories, hands-on activities and games to help children learn about the world around them. Advance registration is appreciated.

Cost is $3.00 per child. Non-members will also be charged admission price if participants wish to go on the exhibit floor before or after the program.

Tots 'n' Science: (for ages 3-6, must be accompanied by an adult)

Beginning June 8th, the Tots program will meet throughout the summer from 10:00 – 11:00 on Wednesday mornings at the Science Center. Sessions will cover a wide range of natural and physical science topics featuring stories, hands-on activities and games to help children learn about the world around them. Advance registration is appreciated.

Price is $3.00 per child. Non-members will also be charged admission price if participants wish to go on the exhibit floor before or after the program.

The 2nd Annual "e-cubed" Fundraiser was a Success!

2011-03-03T07:07:00.000-06:00

On February 26, Headwaters Science Center was buzzing with 125 guests, over 40 volunteers, 18 musicians, a magician, and buffets featuring food from over 25 restaurants and local chefs. The second annual "e-cubed" dining experience topped last year's event by raising over $8,000 in revenue for the Science Center. That amount

is in addition to approximately $7,000 in in-kind donations of products and services that were made by area businesses and individuals to enhance the occasion, and of course the fantastic food that is critical to the overall success of the dinner. The silent auction made about $2,700.

Thanks to all who donated and attended! Special thanks to Julie Bengtson for making all this a reality!

For a detailed recipe on one of the great desserts, check this link.

Flowing With the Current

2011-01-26T07:41:00.001-06:00

Updates by Laddie Elwell

A New Vision for Northern Minnesota: The Headwaters Source Center

In September, the HSC Board established a “New Visions Facility Committee” co-chaired by John Hawthorne and Roger Davis to investigate the possibility of HSC working with other local governmental and nonprofit entities to develop a plan that would result in a science and technology, arts, and cultural heritage center that would serve northern Minnesota's populations and schools.

Proposed partners include Beltrami County History Museum, Native American communities, BSU and Bemidji Tech, Bemidji Arts Council, the City of Bemidji along with its Area Chamber of Commerce, Bemidji City Council, and other nonprofit and service organizations with shared interests based on regional needs and interests. A committee composed of representatives of the major partners is in the process of being established.

Part of the project will include technology and fresh water biological research facilities. The whole project will have both “hands-on” and “on-line” components that can be integrated into classrooms throughout northern Minnesota and well beyond. The ideal site for the New Visions facilities is the area along the Mississippi River between Lakes Irving and Bemidji surrounding the site allocated to HSC by the Bemidji City Council, including the Beltrami County History Museum.

It will be a regional center for science, arts, and cultural heritage and has the potential to be:

• An outstanding source for learning about and conducting activities related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

• A source of technological innovation

• An exciting tourist destination

• A source of job opportunities

• A place for regional crafts-persons to show and sell their wares

At the January 19th HSC Board meeting, the following resolution was passed:

Headwaters Science Center – Resolution 2011-01

Approval of Co-Sponsorship of the Joint New Vision Committee

Whereas it is the responsibility of the Board of the Headwaters Science Center (HSC) to approve the formal involvement and membership of the Science Center in other organizations.

Whereas the Board of the Headwaters Science Center previously established in 2010 the "New Vision Committee" to pursue the creation of a new Science Center in partnership with other civic minded non-profit organizations such as the History Center, the Arts Center and the like.

Whereas it has become apparent that a separate independent organization should be created with representation of all collaborating partners with this objective in mind.

Now therefore be it resolved to approve and sanction the participation of the Headwaters Science Center, as represented by the New Vision Committee, to organize, participate in and otherwise further the establishment of a Joint New Vision Committee whose objective is to build and operate a center for interactive learning and research, emphasizing and integrating science, technology, the arts, culture and history, particularly emphasizing the diverse cultures and natural resources in our area.

e3 (e-cubed) is Coming Sat. Feb 26, 2011!

2011-01-22T07:24:00.000-06:00

e3 (e-cubed) is an upscale dining experience at Headwaters Science Center featuring the art and science of food. Magnificent food buffets, live music, and HSC's own incomparable science entertainment will fill all three floors of the Center, with another dessert spectacle to cap off the evening. This is a major fund raiser for the year. Click here for all the information.

Update by Laddie Elwell, Director

2010-11-27T08:03:00.002-06:00

Flowing With the Current . . . .

Your Gifts to US

There’s always a lot going on at HSC––people of all ages coming in for all kinds of reasons, records to keep, endless ringing of the telephone, and the demands of e-mail and internet. Those items don’t begin to compare with demands of animal care, exhibit repair and refurbishment, cleaning, and all the preparations that staff embers must make for presentations and youth groups. Recently we re-stocked our Science Store, and there’s a lot of work to ordering, unpacking and checking the orders, pricing everything, and getting it all in the right places.

I’m writing this shortly before Thanksgiving Day, and that’s a day that, I suspect, makes us all think of the special people who impact our lives. But I’m thinking especially of the appreciation that all of us at Headwaters Science Center feel for the volunteers who carry out so many tasks, and I cannot even think how we could function if staff members had to do everything that volunteers do.

Our website was established and is attended to daily by John Mathisen, who constantly reminds all of us of coming events, financial opportunities, and unmet needs. John has also taken most of the photographs in our archives, and most of those on the website. He and his wife, Ann, have been active right from HSC’s beginning 18 or 19 years ago. John was a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Forest Service on the Chippewa National Forest in his “former life,” and was a member of the National Bald Eagle Recovery Team. Ann Mathisen is a botanist, and has been responsible for the array of wild flowers and other local plants that is in our entry area and has provided “The Science of Stamps” exhibits.

Julie Bengtson is another original HSC supporter who continues to undertake exhibits and big fund raising events. She not only edits this newsletter and attends to its publishing and mailing, but has built exhibits, served on our Board, organizes computer records, designs windows and our donor recognition area, and has been very instrumental in raising badly-needed funds for the Center. She even made the large “Headwaters Science Center” sign on the outside of our building!

Boyd Ferrell has also been with HSC for most of our existence. Seventeen years ago he walked into our mostly empty building with a tiny model of what is now our harmonograph, or, as he calls it more correctly, our symmetrograph. We didn’t know it would be that big, or that complex, but it has been a star performer for about 15 years. What few people know is that it is designed in such a way that advanced college level physics students could use it as a physics experiment by moving weights around inside it! Boyd also built our windmill and the telegraph in the Communications exhibit. He has a rich past in industry, but among his varied jobs he was a real telegrapher; only those of us past middle age remember when a telegram was the primary means of communicating over distances.

Years ago, we were having problems installing a large microscope when Barry Lyons offered to help out. Barry not only installed the microscope, but has helped fix or install many items in the Center since then. He has served on our Board and has recently helped with two exhibits. The best part is that we know who we can call whenever we need help!

I don’t know how many years Richard Johnson has been coming in on a six-day-a-week basis, but we would be lost without him! He dusts the store, organizes our inventory and takes out items that have been mistreated, shovels snow, sweeps the walk, replaces paper towels and light bulbs, and does all kinds of other things. He is a gem!

Many of you respond to items listed in our “Wish List” that appears in all our newsletter issues, and we very much appreciate that. Our star responder is Joan Ditty, who manages to find an incredible array of items that we use in presenting programs and exhibits, caring for animals, and storing or cleaning things. We appreciate it more than words can say!

If you’ve inspected our marine tank, with its fish, corals, sea urchin and sea star, you may be aware that the Northern Minnesota Reef Club has been highly instrumental in setting up and maintaining the tank. Key people in making that happen are Frank and Susan Hazard. Frank made the trek over to Menahga to pick up the 190- gallon tank and associated heavy equipment from donor Michelle Rinke. Susan made contact with the Reef Club and has also been involved in brochure design, window decoration, fundraising, and many other aspects of Center operations. Frank served on the Board and has helped with many projects at HSC. The Hazards were the owners of the wonderful large electric trains that were at HSC two years ago. That adventure was pretty hard on the trains!

HSC doesn’t have an historian, and the closest we come to having a written history is Board records AND the notebooks filled with clippings from The Pioneer and other newspapers or other sources whenever we can find them. Jean Daily took on the job of finding, cutting out, and entering these materials into the pages of the notebooks that we have been trying to keep since 1991. When Jean took over about a year ago, we had a pile of newspapers that we had collected over a two-year period that no one had even cut out, so she had a tough catch-up period.

Anyone who has kept animals knows that birds are the creatures who are most demanding in terms of keeping them clean and properly fed. Amy Granlund, who is a real-life chemist, comes in regularly to help with our raptors, who are quite messy individuals and expect to eat fresh meat. Amy has worked hard to learn them so that she is one of those entrusted with their care.

Another animal-lover is Sarah Vaughn, who comes in twice a week to care for animals, especially snakes. She is meticulous in carrying out her tasks and is a pleasure to have at HSC!

Science Club is a regular weekly activity at HSC that takes lots of staff time. Antton Oja generously gives of his time to help out with activities at Science Club and BooFest. Antton was one of our own Science Center Kids when he was a youngster, and it is wonderful to see him helping now with the younger kids, who really look up to him.

The new exhibition on respiration and circulation as they relate to nutrition and exercise will be at least partly on display in prototype form in December. Muriel Gilman, professor of Physical Education, and Susan Carlson, a cardiac nurse at Bemidji Regional Hospital, have been working with me for two years to develop the basis of the exhibition.

A relatively new volunteer is a recent college graduate in biology who loves animals––and appears to be loved by them. Erin Maxson comes in regularly to observe and care for HSC’s creatures, though her special interest happens to be invertebrates. Our box turtle, Steve, recently had a fungal infection of his shell, and Erin seems to have been able to reverse the infection and encourage him to eat. Steve has since gained an eighth of a pound and is noticeably more active.

Other volunteers help us out enormously, and our Board of Directors, whose names are on the back page of this Current, are certainly included among them. Board members are very grateful to Jeanne Edevold Larson for her marvelous help last June!

Give to the Max Day - November 16

2010-11-04T07:27:00.000-05:00

November 16 is the Big Day for Giving!

What if you could help Headwaters Science Center win $1000 just by giving 10 bucks? On November 16, Give to the Max Day, you can.

Last year, more than 38,000 donors logged on to GiveMN.org and gave over $14 million to more than 3,000 Minnesota charities and nonprofits in 24 hours during Give to the Max Day. This year, the goal is to beat our own record by engaging 40,000 donors during the second annual Give to the Max Day on November 16. Headwaters Science Center, together with GiveMN.org – a first-of-its-kind giving website for nonprofits in Minnesota – is working to create a stronger nonprofit community for Minnesota.

Give to the Max Day amplifies your giving impact in two ways:

1. Win a Golden Ticket! $1,000 will be given to a random donor’s charity every hour. You could be that donor!

2. Put us on the Leader Board! Your donation on November 16, could put us on the leader board to win $10,000 or even $20,000 for the most number of donors for our nonprofit. Help us get “on the board!”

Go to this page to make a donation or visit the HSC web site and click on the Donate button. It's easy, tax deductible and secure.

What is GiveMN?

GiveMN.org is the smart way for you to discover, support and engage with the charities that are right for you. The online giving platform allows you to easily find organizations that match your giving goals, support them through secure credit or debit card donations, receive automated tax deductible receipts through email, and conveniently track and record your donations in a single online location.

As you consider your charitable end-of-year giving, please consider participating in Give to the Max Day on Nov. 16. GiveMN is easy to use, and your gift to Headwaters Science Center will make a huge difference to our ongoing work.

Notes from Laddie Elwell, Center Director

2010-10-07T08:05:00.000-05:00

Flowing With the Current . . . .

Updates by Laddie Elwell

Good News and . . . .

Summer’s gone, and it’s amazing how time sweeps us all along, like some great wind that picks us up in June, whirls us through a series of exciting events, and deposits us in September.

It’s been busy at HSC, and being a bit short-handed has made it hard to get everything done, though we had some wonderful free (to us) help this summer. The Communications Exhibit is up and

running, and I see folks using Morse Code to send messages back and forth between the Baltimore “station” and the San Francisco “station,” or sometimes just practicing on one telegraph key. When I was a child, my brother delivered telegrams by bicycle, and they provided the most important personal communications at the time.

Make sure to look at the history of communications in the center of the exhibit: it drives home just how recently communications have so drastically changed our lives after such a very long, slow start.

The marine (salt water) aquarium is coming along beautifully, though we’re having problems with the chiller, which is needed to keep the water in the right temperature range. Chillers are expensive items, and Reef Club members (who have made the whole exhibit possible––and sustainable!) have been busy looking for a source of a new one. If anyone can help out with this problem, please let us know and we’ll pass the information on to the Reef Club folks.

There is some good news and some bad news. The bad news has to do with our need to raise prices and that is now taking place. The entrance fee for visitors who are 2 to 11 years old is now $4. Also in effect are increases in birthday party, program, and demonstration prices, which you may view on our website. Membership rates go up on January 1st so you might want to renew earlier to take advantage of the present price.

We really hate to do this because we’ve always tried to keep our prices as low as possible, but with lower income from other sources, it has become necessary. Grants and donations have been lower during the last two years, though both memberships and the number of visitors have increased and staff members have been delivering more programs both in the Center and throughout our service area.

The higher attendance we’ve enjoyed means more staffing is needed and costs have increased. It boils down to simple arithmetic: if your cost to produce a product is $1, you can’t sell it for 95 cents; and the more you sell, the faster you will go out of business––unless someone else chips in!

There’s really lots of good news. First of all, we have so many wonderful volunteers who help us out every day who make a big difference in helping to keep HSC operating! Memberships and numbers of visitors have increased. Also, we plan to begin construction on the Respiration/Circulation exhibition in September and open it by late October. It fell behind its original schedule for several reasons: financial, committee member time constraints, and other Center demands. Stay posted: we’ll let you know on the website and in media releases. I think you’ll find it interesting and informative––and enjoyable!

Other items:

•In June, Jeanne Edevold Larson provided leadership for a retreat for the HSC Board and staff. Issues were clarified and priorities established so that we should have an easier time moving forward.

•HSC has become a partner with United Way, joining other local nonprofits. HSC will receive $4,000 from United Way towards operations this year.

•Evergreen’s Kinship North program is collaborating with HSC to provide Science Center time for mentors and involved kids.

There are lots of things going on at HSC. Come on in and find out!

HSC Announces School-year Programs

2010-09-01T06:40:00.000-05:00

Summer programs and activities are history. HSC now prepares for school-year activities which will include all of the popular programs for kids and adults from previous years: Tots-N-Science for ages 3-6, Wednesdays from 10:00-11:00 am, After School Science Club for ages 7-13 each Monday at 3:30 pm, Talented and Gifted program for ages 11-13, Home Schooling programs 3rd Friday of each month. See our web site for all the details.

New Challenge pages on HSC Web Site

2010-08-29T12:30:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check out the new "Challenge Activity" pages on the HSC web site. This is an interactive way (using games and fun things) for students and teachers and all visitors to test their science smarts once they have visited the Center or viewed the web site. It is still in the development stage and we are looking for ideas, comments and criticism so we can make it better. Click the link to go directly to it. Please look it over. Send comments to John Mathisen rmath@paulbunyan.net

Camp Invention a Huge Success

2010-08-09T06:49:00.000-05:00

On August 14, fifty enthusiastic kids grades 1 through 6 descended on Headwaters Science Center, for five days of creative activities where they learned how to invent things out of common household items. Called Camp Invention, it has become an annual affair at the Center, and really stirs the creative juices in youngsters, and they have a lot of fun doing it!

The Camp Invention program this year consisted of five exciting modules designed to provide a unique opportunity to explore the unknown, tinker with ideas, and satisfy an innate sense of curiosity. Children must tap into their creativity to solve real-world challenges and work as a team, using problem-solving as a portal to discovery. Renowned for the difference it’s making nationwide, this enrichment program provides a safe, creative outlet for children to extend school year learning through fun, hands-on activities that develop important life skills that prepare them for the 21st century.

For more about Camp Invention, go to this site:

Indian Paintbrush

2010-06-28T16:20:00.000-05:00

For the past 15 years or so, my wife, Ann, and I have been collecting plants twice weekly to display at the live plant exhibit at Headwaters Science Center. It is interesting to note how every year unfolds differently as to the sequence and species composition of the wild flowers. This year for example, Indian paintbrush is unusually abundant in the fields and roadsides, probably due to the abundance of rain and just the right temperatures. It surely does look like a paintbrush with red paint was applied in random strokes across the landscape. It’s too bad so many people have decided to mow down everything from the edge of the road to the woods edge, replacing plants like Indian paintbrush, black-eyed Susans and gay feather with the monotony of short, green grass. Why do they do that? Riding mowers just make it too easy! - John and Ann Mathisen

School Year Revisited

2010-06-10T08:08:00.002-05:00

The 2009-2010 school year was one of the busiest ever at Headwaters Science Center. They came by the bus load, or Center staff went to them as part of the outreach program. Over 5,300 visitors from 61 different schools (149 groups of lively kids) from the northern Minnesota area participated in the HSC learning experience. For more information about school visitation options, check this link

Communications Exhibit Grand Opening

2010-05-21T07:12:00.000-05:00

June 5

Exhibit Grand Opening!

The first phase of HSC’s new Communications Exhibit is ready for use. The working telegraph has been a popular attraction throughout the winter, with many visitors busy sending Morse Code messages from one station to the other. The telegraph segment, sponsored by Paul Bunyan Telephone, is the first of many that will feature the history of communication from smoke signals to present-day wireless technology.

The official grand opening of the exhibit will be Saturday, June 5. By that time we’ll have prototypes for signage and informational displays on which we will welcome comments in order to improve the presentation for its final configuration.

Throughout the afternoon on that day we’ll have coffee, punch, and snacks for all visitors. There will be door prizes, gifts, and special discounts in the store.

Headwaters Science Center/Lions Club Fundraiser

2010-05-19T06:52:00.000-05:00

Here is your chance to help HSC get some badly needed funds. Please donate items for the Bemidji Lions Club Charity Auction, and HSC will receive a portion of the proceeds. This will be a huge community event sponsored by the Lions Club on June 26, 2010 at Beltrami County Fairgrounds. See this link for all the details.

Birdwatching Program at HSC

2010-05-05T06:58:00.001-05:00

Friday Science for Homeschoolers at Headwaters Science Center will feature Bird Watching/Monitoring and Binoculars, with Chris Tolman.

Birdwatching is fun, fascinating, and free. It’s as easy as watching the birds in your own backyard. Many people love to feed the birds, but few people actually know all ...the different birds that come to dine at their feeders. Come join us for birdwatching 101 and learn some basics that will make bird identification easier. We’ll talk about size, shape, behavior, and where to look for specific details and how to use a reference book. We’ll cover basic bird feeder tips and what to feed to attract a variety of birds. We’ll also cover binocular use and buying tips. You’ll learn how you can get involved as a Citizen Scientist – how to collect data that is used in actual research. After all that (weather permitting) we’ll get into the fun stuff… going outside to look for birds. We’ll put our newly acquired skills to the test and see how many different species of birds we can identify. This program is geared for family participation. It is open to the public and anyone is welcome to attend. Pre-registration is required; class size is limited. Fee is $6.00 per student. Class will be held at Headwaters Science Center, 413 Beltrami Ave in downtown Bemidji from 2:00 – 4:00pm, Friday May 21st. For more information or to register please call Chris at 444-4472 or email contact@hscbemidji.org

Camp Invention August 2-6 at HSC

2010-04-30T07:22:00.002-05:00

ONE CHILD AT A TIME

This summer, invest in the skills that will help children achieve their full potential throughout the school year. Nonprofit Invent Now Kids premier program, Camp Invention, is a weeklong adventure in creativity. Your children will experience inquiry-based learning through fun activities that will help them unleash their creative genius.

The Camp Invention program consists of five exciting modules that are designed to provide a unique opportunity to explore the unknown, tinker with ideas, and satisfy and satisfy an innate sense of curiosity. Children must tap into their creativity to solve real-world challenges and work as a team, using problem-solving as a portal to discovery. Renowned for the difference its making nationwide, this enrichment program provides a safe, creative outlet for children to extend school year learning through fun, hands-on activities that develop important life skills that prepare them for the 21st century.

Regional Advisory Group is Planned

2010-04-25T08:25:00.001-05:00

by Laddie Elwell, Director

The Headwaters Science Center staff and board need your ideas as planning continues for an exciting future. We hope that some of you will be interested in working as volunteers toward the development of the new HSC and will come in or call to leave your names and contact information. You will have an opportunity to take part in bringing an important asset to northern Minnesota!

Headwaters Science Center had planned to start on the detailed design of a much-needed new facility this year and was included in the bonding bill that Minnesota’s House of Representatives and Senate passed and sent to Governor Pawlenty for his signature. Though he had been informed about the 23-county-plus regional area served by HSC, the Governor saw it as a “local project,” and explained his line-item veto of the Center in his letter to the legislature by saying that “The bill contains too many appropriations for local projects, which are funded while some statewide priority needs are disregarded.”

There may be an opportunity to approach the State for partial funding for design in 2011, according to area legislators.

In addition to serving the general public, HSC serves schools and other groups in northern Minnesota and is a regional tourist attraction. It also works with other regional nonprofit organizations in helping them to serve their clients. In 2009 the Center served almost 30,000 visitors, many of whom traveled over 150 miles to Bemidji.

Future plans for the Science Center include increased collaboration with Bemidji State University, Bemidji Technical College, regional tribal colleges, and a number of local and regional nonprofit organizations including the Early Childhood Initiative and other social and environmental groups. The new Center will have an astronomy facility that will be available for use by other educational institutions, and intends to provide research opportunities for college students and school students at the middle and high school level with particular emphasis on water resources, biology, child development, and education.

Recent studies show that the United States has fallen from its foremost position as a leader in scientific fields and now ranks we behind many nations in turning out college graduates in science based fields. Research indicates that a majority of K-12 students have mediocre introductions to the processes and fields of science. Early and pleasurable exposure to science is important in encouraging youth to enter such fields. Many adults do not see the science that surrounds them in their everyday lives, nor do they understand the importance of knowing some basic biological and physical facts in the maintenance of personal health.

Headwaters Science Center provides a number of programs for persons of all ages as well as workshops for teachers. Present space limitations prevent HSC from reaching its potential, though new exhibits and programs are in the planning stages. The new building will be built on land provided by the City of Bemidji along the Mississippi River between Lakes Irving and Bemidji.

May Newsletter Available

2010-04-25T07:15:00.000-05:00

Headwater Science Center offers their quarterly newsletter for on-line viewing at this site. Headwaters Current contains all the news, events and other exciting things going on at the Center.

Wild Flower Extravaganza Begins

2010-04-19T14:46:00.003-05:00

Unique to HSC is a wild plant exhibit, maintained by botanist Ann Mathisen, a dedicated volunteer. The exhibit is refreshed twice weekly during the growing period, providing a glimpse of the phenology of wild plants as the season progresses. It is located in the lobby area at the Center and there is no admission fee. Shown here is the Pasque Flower, the very first of the spring wild flowers in the Bemidji, Mn area.

HSC Summer Programs

2010-04-18T11:29:00.000-05:00

Beginning June 10 Summer Science Club (for ages 8-13) will meet 10 times throughout the summer at the Science Center from 2:00 to 4:00 on Thursdays. Activities will cover a wide range of physical science topics. Non-Members: any 5 sessions for $50, all 10 for $95; Members: any 5... sessions for $45, all 10 for $85. Advance registration is encouraged.

Beginning June 9 Discovery Science (for ages 5-7) will meet 10 times throughout the summer at the Science Center from 1:00 to 2:00 on Wednesdays. Activities will cover a wide range of natural and physical science topics. Non-Members: any 5 sessions for $45, all 10 for $85; Members: any 5 sessions for $40, all 10 for $75. Advance registration is encouraged.

Beginning June 9 Tots-N-Science (for ages 3-5) will meet 10 times throughout the summer at the Science Center from 10:00 to 11:00 on Wednesdays. Sessions will cover a wide range of natural and physical science topics featuring stories, hands-on activities and games to help children learn about the world around them. Adults must accompany children. Please preregister by the day before the program. Non-Members: for 1 adult and 1 child, $10, each additional child $4; Members: for 1 adult and 1 child $3, each additional child $1.

Camp Invention (for kids currently in grades K-5) will run daily from August 2- 6 from 9:00 to 3:30. Inquiry-based learning through fun activities will help them unleash their creative genius! Cost is $210 per child.