- March 11, 2025
Cub Scouts take part in the film canister rocket activity. Courtesy photo
Cub Scout Daniel Lucas, from the Webelo Den, reveals his creation under the black light. Courtesy photo
Gus Gatti, president of STEM Outreach, explains the invisible ink activity to participating Cub Scouts. Courtesy photo
Cub Scouts look at a mix of extracted highlighter ink and vinegar under a blacklight for the invisible ink exercise. Courtesy photo
Cub Scouts take part in the invisible ink activity. Courtesy photo
A cub scout takes part in the hurricane activity. Courtesy photo
Ilan Soler and Jacob Bare, volunteers with ERAU STEM Outreach, explain to cub scouts how the film canister rocket works. Courtesy photo
Cub scouts take part in the invisible ink activity. Courtesy photo
A cub scout takes part in the invisible ink activity. Courtesy photo
John Michael explains the hurricane activity. Courtesy photo
Ryan Mercer, vice president of ERAU STEM Outreach, helps scouts in an activity. Courtesy photo
The ERAU STEM Outreach Volunteers and the participating cub scouts. Courtesy photo
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's STEM Outreach hosted the third annual night of learning with Cub Scouts Pack 327 on Oct. 14, at Temple Beth-El.
“This activity took place just a few days after Hurricane Milton," ERAU Faculty Advisor Claudia Ehringer Lucas said in a statement to the Observer. "Some families still didn’t have electricity. What a better thing than learn a new thing, the four ingredients to make a hurricane and have some fun after it caused destruction and damage throughout our community."
This year's event featured a film canister rocket activity, where scouts added water to dissolve an Alka-Seltzer tablet to create carbon dioxide, leading to pressure for a blast off; an invisible ink activity using highlighters, vinegar and a black light; and a hurricane jar, where scouts learned how hurricanes formed using warm water, low air pressure, moist air and low wind shear.
"Once they completed the activities, they wanted to do them again and again," said Ilan Soler, STEM Outreach volunteer.
Gus Gatti, president of STEM Outreach, has been a part of the event for the past three years. STEM Outreach's goal remains to host the activity night on annual basis.
"When I was in elementary and middle school, outreach events like these was where my passion for science and technology was ignited, and getting to see the same love of learning click inside the next generation has been so rewarding," Gatti said.
