Children operated robots, created items using lasers, explored the effects of electricity and observed a 3-D printer in action when SparkTruck made a stop at UCF on Sunday.
More than 30 youngsters and their parents gathered at the College of Education and Human Performance to learn about the science and technology housed on the revamped ice cream truck, a Kickstarter-backed project that was the brainchild of some Stanford University graduate students who wanted to get kids excited about science.
SparkTruck’s visit to Orlando was hosted by the college and sponsored by the Cade Museum of Gainesville, Fla.
Parents who accompanied their children to the SparkTruck event were impressed with the technology demonstrated, the “hands-on” nature of the science activities and the one-on-one attention SparkTruck members gave to each participant.
The truck and its creators garnered national attention in 2012 when it made a 14,000 mile cross-country tour hitting 73 locations in 33 states and reaching 2,697 students. The response was so positive that the truck began a second tour earlier this summer.
More information about SparkTruck is available at http://sparktruck.org.