Kelly Kendrick on a recent Saturday morning welcomed kids to indulge in an edible science experience. An assortment of Jell-O — orange, lime, raspberry and strawberry lined up on a table.
Children stared at disposable cups filled with pale-colored powder that looked much different than its typical jiggly form.
“Is there even water in there?” one of the kids asked.
Kendrick smiled.
“Just try and see.”
Apprehensive and curious, one of the children placed the allotted amount of powder into a cup of water. A change began — an experiment with polymers, which are large molecules bonded together by smaller molecules.
The powder morphed into a gummy, fun-sized and chewy treat. Kendrick nodded in approval for the kid to taste his creation.
“Ooohhh, this is good.”
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Kendrick, her colleague, Chris Lorence, and others created science experiments — hands-on activities, live science demonstrations and other polymer education.
“It’s showing the kids, if you take a little bit of water and then you put it with the Jello, it adheres,” said Kendrick, the director of Operations at Coventry Local Schools. “That is what makes the polymer, pulling the two items that are different together.”
This moment at Polymer Palooza represented one of the many ways Kendrick and other science enthusiasts introduced STEM to Akron youth at Lock 3 and the Akron Children’s Museum.
Kendrick, who has a background in education (33 years) and technology (18 years), wants to ensure Akron-area kids and others have access to the $10 billion polymer industry, which annually employs more than 80,000 people across America.
By 2031, the Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub hopes to create approximately 2,400 new jobs.
Kendrick’s goal on this day? Plant polymer seeds of curiosity. Teach them that polymers are everywhere, from the rubber in sneakers to the plastic in water bottles.
With any luck, one of these kids will embark on a career in polymer science and engineering, a multidisciplinary STEM field that integrates science, technology, engineering and mathematics with other disciplines.
