may the doors stay open. . .

Science Day, ‘17

a prime directive to every school:

“Let no student find a door to be closed against them.

Let the doors be open, and inviting,

and may each student joyfully enter and move forward,

and keep moving even when the going gets tough, the way clouded.

May each find the light the universe releases

when a truth is revealed.”

today Carolina Friends Middle School was blessed with a Science Day:

15 scientists joined us to present workshops of open doors,

of DNA, of waves, of sound, of the worlds revealed

through a microscope, a rocket, a drone, two falling balls,

worms with sunburn, the stories of baboons, of numbers,

of hidden bias, of critters, of paleontology and food,

of water phase changing, of safety in a dangerous world,

a fabulous keynote as Glenn Murphy,

a new day Carl Sagan for the adolescent, 

shared the reasoning in his new book:

Eat. Grow. Move. Live. Learn.

interconnecting all that we need to do to thrive as living organisms,

arguing “how modern sedentary living threatens health on all counts,”

an afternoon tour de force of awe from Bryan Sexton,

the positive effects of the positive,

the joy in the wonder within us, and without us,

Glow Worm Cave NZ

Grand Canyon

near half the school postering individual experiments—

opening the doors into revelation of what insights 

might allow themselves to be released with the right question and exploration,

a finale of middle school advisee groups

challenged by working together

on ping-pong ball projection, and catching,

the world of science a wonder,

within the chaos that can easily surround us.

by Henry H. Walker

March 10, ‘17