Last Monday, April 14, WHS students and teachers from all areas of science congregated at Lincoln Elementary School to present Science Night to the elementary school students and teachers. They presented various displays of science, from a gecko from Biology, air pressure experiments from Earth and Space Science, ice cream from Physics, to a Mentos-Diet Coke explosion from Chemistry, and many more. Over ninety volunteers helped with the event, including parents, teachers, and students.

The night was planned by Mr. Tony Tautges, who has done two in the past for this district as well as two in Watertown. “I had a blast,” says Tautges. “It's always fun, as a science teacher, to see people enjoy science. And, since our high school students conducted the demonstrations and activities, I know that they learned a lot as well.” Science Night is done every other year, with the next night scheduled for 2010.

There were between two and three hundred visitors, most of them students and teachers from Lincoln school coming to see all the displays. “The youngsters were so excited. It is great to see that enthusiasm,” says Mr. Dirk Seibold, one of the teachers who volunteered their time. Both the upper and lower gym were packed for the duration of the hour and a half long night, and a cable station thirteen cameraman even showed up to film the excitement.

“Science Night was a tremendous amount of work for all involved,” says Tautges, “none of whom got paid for their efforts. Myself, Mr. [Doug] Weittenhiller, Ms. [Esther] Weitzel, Ms. [Kerri] Kachel, and Mr. [Dirk] Seibold volunteered their time to put the stations together, and students, teachers, and parents volunteered their time as well. Special thanks to Ms. [Jo] Bernhardt (Lincoln Principal) for her contributions and time. I am pleased that it went so well and was so well attended. The efforts were well worth it, for the amount of science that was experienced by the elementary kids, and their parents.”