Date: October 1, 2010

Summer Science Camps Get A Boost from Monsanto Fund
By Liz Shenaut

Just as Explorit says "goodbye" to one summer camp season, it receives an exciting grant to help make next summer bigger and better.

The Monsanto Fund is contributing $20,000 to Explorit's Summer Science Camps for 2011, which are hands-on science discovery experiences for preschool and elementary school children from 4 to 11 years old.

The Monsanto Fund is a private foundation and the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, an agricultural biotechnology company. To learn more about the Monsanto Fund, visit http://www.monsantofund.org/asp/welcome.asp.

"This grant from Monsanto is exciting because it will help Explorit's efforts to continue making summer camp experiences really fun and help provide those experiences for more children," said Gina Nunes, Explorit's Membership and Donor Relations Specialist.

Monsanto has also contributed to other Explorit programs and events, such as the upcoming Science Challenge, an annual fundraiser held in Freeborn Hall at UC Davis.

A fun, fast-paced, science quiz game and silent auction fill the evening that takes place at Freeborn Hall on the UC Davis campus. This year's event will be held at 5:30 p.m. on October 7, and is titled "The Wide World of Sports," reflecting the theme of quiz questions that participants will be answering.

In other grant news, Explorit has recently received a $5,000 grant from the Best Buy Children's Foundation. The grant will provide support for pilot after-school programs for middle school audiences.

Explorit is also pleased to recognize the Kelly Foundation who recently contributed $5,000 towards funding Explorit's Classroom Adventure programs.

Explorit's Program Director, Megan Contreras, comments, "Explorit is so honored to have the support of these foundations for the 2010-2011 school year. As a small non-profit organization, Explorit is able to do the work that it does because of support from organizations like the Monsanto Fund, Best Buy Children's Foundation, and the Kelly Foundation."

Contreras continues, "Explorit also receives generous donations of time from local scientists and other community members to help us excite visitors about science. By introducing our audience to a variety of science careers and topics of investigation, we hope to encourage more people to investigate and appreciate the science that surrounds us everyday."

Explorit's coming events:

• Thursday, Oct. 7: Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available for Explorit's 19th Annual Science Challenge. Individual tickets can be purchased at http://exploritsciencechallenge.eventbrite.com, and more information about sponsorship can be found at http://www.explorit.org/support/science-challenge/. Proceeds benefit K-6 science education in the greater Sacramento region.
• Saturday, Oct. 9, Explorit will participate for the second time in Expanding Your Horizons, a program for middle school girls at Sacramento State University. The program introduces girls to science, math, and technology-related careers. Three women from Explorit will be facilitating workshops there: Explorit's Program Director, Megan Contreras; one of Explorit's Education Specialists, Lisa Justice; and Volunteer Scientist from UC Davis, Dr. Barb Swedo.
• Sunday, Oct. 10: As part of The Cool Davis Initiative, Explorit will be displaying the carbon audit report created in July by Eric Amemiya, Adil Majid, Alvin Chen, Jenna Schurr (four students of the UC Davis COSMOS program).
  
  The Cool Davis Initiative is a coalition of citizens, the City of Davis, and a growing number of community organizations working to inspire and empower our community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while having fun. Visit the website at http://www.cooldavisfoundation.org. In alignment with 10-10-10 worldwide climate actions organized by http://www.350.org, October 9 will be devoted to local service projects. Log on to the website to get more information about volunteering, create your own project, or find out about other Cool Davis events.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Explorit Science Center, at 2801 Second St., has two exhibitions on display: "Move It! Science in Action" and "Wheels to Wings." Admission is $4 general, free for teachers, and ages 3 and under. The museum is open to school groups by reservation and to the general public 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information call (530) 756-0191 or visit http://www.explorit.org.