The following is the article that appeared in the Amarillo Globe-News online edition posted on Sept, 17th, 2003.

Traveling trailer ignites kids' interest in science

By Sara Sepulveda ssepulveda@amarillonet.com

The pop and crackle of electricity filled the air inside the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering's Trailblazer - a traveling science exhibit - on Sept. 4.

Fifth-grade students at Robert E. Lee Elementary School seemed to like the Van de Graff generator: Jasmine Tinner picked up a short rod connected to a small metal sphere. As she held the ball closer to a larger one, a thin, light blue line flickered between the two objects.

"You're creating static electricity, like when you touch the doorknob in your house," explained David Salas, a mechanical engineer who works at ConocoPhillips' Borger refinery.

Tinner said she could feel a funny stinging sensation while she held the rod. As the students played with the generator, a few strands of hair rose from their heads.

"You should go do that," said classmate Viviana Herrera.

Melissa Thompson liked the Super Sonic Ear, a handy device for nosy people.

"We had on (headphones) and when you press the button, you can hear people talking louder," she said.

Salas painted Veronica De Los Santos' fingernails with a special polish.

"When you put it under the (black) light, it glows," she said, playing with some glowing models of the planets.

Angel Anguiano saw "gooshy, squishy blood" through a microscope. Shandra Telford put a piece of gauze on the scope and looked at the material's tiny holes.

Next to them, Darryl Anthony instructed a classmate to breathe deeply while he listened to his heart with a stethoscope.

Debbie Carr, a fifth-grade teacher at Lee, said the children were excited to visit the trailer.

"They like to touch everything," she said. "The whole experience is supposed to show the students the fun engineering can bring. There are (stations) on magnets, electricity, wind. They listened to my heart - they found out I had one," she said, laughing.

It's fun to watch, Carr said, because the children are learning about science and don't realize they are.

The Don Harrington Discovery Center brought the traveling science exhibit trailer from Austin for its Discover! 2003 fund-raiser. JoDee Cazarez, education coordinator for the science museum, said they got it for the whole week, but decided to send it around to Amarillo-area schools instead of letting it sit in the parking lot.

"It's a great resource, so why not utilize it?" she said.

Salas, who graduated from Palo Duro High School and the University of Texas at Austin, volunteered to help with the TAME trailer. He said the TAME programs he participated in while he attended Palo Duro sparked his interest.

"The purpose of TAME is to get more minorities and women interested in engineering," Salas said. "Engineers aren't visible in the community, and it's important - especially for young kids - to meet them and get an idea what they do."