Enochs High scientists have the fun formula down

“Science is amazing,” second-grader Zoe Byron summed up as she watched oil and water not mix in lava-lamp type miniatures.

Her words are music to 2014 Enochs High graduate Maya Villareal’s ears. Villareal came back to her alma mater Wednesday to help the school’s biotechnology students put on Science Night.

“It’s really important people enjoy science and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math),” said the Modesto Junior College bioengineering major. Besides the career opportunities, she said, “science is everywhere.”

Villareal had no idea as a kid that she would like science, until her older brother brought her to an Enochs High Science Night when she was in seventh grade. The rest, as they say, is history.

Hundreds of grade schoolers and their families packed the Enochs cafeteria Wednesday, finding some inspiration of their own.

“Let’s get girls into science!” said Shannon James as her two daughters, 9-year-old Abigail and 4-year-old Alexis, squeezed colored water drops into a small container of oil.

What looked like miniature lava lamps to the kids, however, served as a showcase for different densities for the high school students leading the experiments.

Salida Middle School students Brandon Smith and Joey Purpura avidly explained how to make “armpit cheese” to a passerby. The mix of milk and culture, tucked under an arm for warmth, congealed to cheesy consistency in half an hour, they said between chuckles.

“It is edible,” assured Enochs science facilitator Sohun Panchal, a junior. No promises on the taste, he added with a grimace.

At the “Armpit Cheese” table beside him, a laughing Lucila Chavez knelt by her daughters, 7-year-old Jatneil and 4-year-old Ahla. “We’re just enjoying the night,” she said. “There’s a lot of things you could do in the house – but you just don’t do it.”

Science Night has a repertoire of 36 activities each year’s biotech students choose from in setting up the free activities meant to amaze and delight. This year’s group added creation of an Olaf-like snowman (from the Disney animated film “Frozen”) from white plastic cups, magnets and iron shavings.

“You see the engagement of the (younger) students. You see the engagement of our kids. They get to be the experts,” said biotech teacher Dave Menshew.

This year’s contingent of Forensic Biotech Career Academy scientists have taken the discovery show on the road for dozens of events – four in the past two weeks alone, Menshew said, ticking off the African American Educational Conference, Kirschen Elementary and Mark Twain Junior High in Modesto, and Boer Elementary in Salida.

The 2015-16 team helped out at science events for children at schools, churches, community events, the Great Valley Museum at Modesto Junior College, and Science Day at California State University, Stanislaus.

“The main thing is problem-solving,” he said, shaking his head in amazement. “I just stay the heck out of their way.”

“OK, let’s do this!” called out Enochs High chemistry student Lilian Tran.

This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Enochs High scientists have the fun formula down."