April News at Hall

April News at Hall

Students in our After School Program have been completing exciting activities in our Hall of Science all month long—and we’ve loved having a front-row seat to watch them learn.

Meanwhile, our seniors are enjoying new fitness equipment and exercise lessons provided by incredible community partners.

And we continue to welcome groups of volunteers to serve our neighbors. Thank you for investing in our community and helping us keep making life better for everyone around us.

We are grateful for your partnership and excited to share these updates with you!

Hall of Science Highlights

Students learn about electricity through hands-on demonstrations.

Our new Hall of Science, led by STEM Coordinator Mr. David, gives students the chance to learn about sound, electricity, flight, space, and more. We’re proud to provide access to state-of-the-art tools like the Stellina telescope and PocketLabs that give young people a detailed look at the world around them.

Check out our latest blog post to learn more about recent science lessons.

Thermoforming

Students used vacuum formers to make hologram projectors out of a sheet of plastic. The machine heats a thin plastic sheet until it can be stretched and formed, then students can project shapes and designs. Access to this kind of equipment is powerful and inspiring for students in our programs!

Hosting Bridge Academy

We were delighted to host the Bridge Academy Middle School March Madness tournament! Students and staff enjoyed great games of basketball and put on an amazing show for spectators.

We loved watching students and staff play together and participate in some friendly competition!

Dentist Day

In March, we recognized Dentist Day! Providing accessible healthcare is integral to our mission of making life better—and dental care is a key part of that. Thank you to all of the community dentists who share their time, expertise, and resources with our neighbors, creating brighter smiles for all!

Thank You, Bridgeport International Academy!

Here at Hall Neighborhood House we couldn’t do what we do without our amazing volunteers!

Thank you to Bridgeport International Academy for spending a day with us—building new exercise equipment for seniors, designing and facilitating an obstacle course for students, and helping out in the STEM room.

We are so grateful for the generous and joyful support!

Senior Exercise Equipment

We are so excited to have new exercise equipment available for our seniors—and special thanks to our partners at Sacred Heart University for coming to talk to seniors about the importance of exercise for their mental and physical health.

Hall of Science

Hall of Science

At Hall Neighborhood House, we know science is fun! When students in our After School Program visit the Hall of Science, they get to explore innovative programming and enjoy an accessible entry point into all types of science. 

Our science curriculum is designed to help students explore a variety of concepts and engage with the world using hands-on activities. Our STEM Coordinator, Mr. David Mestre, prioritizes simple experiments that students can replicate at home, and he also introduces students to state-of-the-art technology not found anywhere else in the area. Here are just some of the highlights of the last few months of science…

Static Electricity

Students used balloons, empty soda cans, paper, and running water to experiment with static electricity. Students learned not only how to conduct static electricity, but also how it works, learning how objects with similar electrical charges repel one another. 

Studying the Stars

The Vaonis Stellina is a state-of-the-art telescope that is portable, app-controlled, and has a light pollution lens, which allows students to easily see and photograph stars, planets, galaxies, and more! This photo of the Whirlpool Galaxy (which is 31 million light-years away!) was taken by Mr. David from right outside Hall Neighborhood House! 

The Vaonis Stellina telescope.

 

A photo that was taken with the Vaonis Stellina telescope.

Sound

Our youngest students learned about sound and how it travels via vibration using cups and strings! “I didn’t know science could be in the smallest things!” exclaimed one of our students during the lesson. 

We love how our awesome teachers work hard to foster students’ natural creativity and make tricky concepts easy to understand.

The students explore how sound waves move along a piece of string.

PocketLab

Mr. David and students used the PocketLab to explore the world outside of Hall Neighborhood House! Hall has two types of PocketLabs: The PocketLab Voyager and the PocketLab Air. These handheld devices can be used to measure air quality, temperature, speed, magnetic fields, and more. 

Electrical Engineering

Students built electric circuits to learn about the flow of electricity. We love watching their curiosity come alive through hands-on experiments and activities! 

Students learn about electricity through hands-on demonstrations.

Aeronautics

Students learned about aeronautics by making and flying bumblebee kites, helicopters, and loop gliders. They explored the factors influencing flight, such as push and pull forces. 

Let’s go fly a kite!

Vacuum Forming

With the Hall of Science’s Vacuum Formers, students were able to make hologram projectors out of a sheet of plastic using a process called Thermoforming!

Through the Hall of Science, we are giving students experiential learning opportunities that encourage them to be curious, observe the world around them, and stretch their abilities. We are grateful for the partnership and support that makes programs like these possible!