Joel Levin

Junior Marlee Cattanach demonstrates her flaming hand experiment.

On the pleasant night of Dec. 10, Buena’s Science League held its annual Science Night in rooms 113 and 114. Science Night, which has been held every year for the past decade, is where the popular club, Science League, hosts an event showcasing all of the experiments they have worked hard on all year.

From exploding watermelons to flaming hands, Science Night was a hit, drawing crowds of parents and students alike, some as young as preschool age. Sophomore Libby Ensminger, who joined Science League for the first time this year, expressed pride in what she’d done and the rewarding feeling of finally reaching the big night.

“It was really fun being able to see the experiment happen. It’s very rewarding to see all the things I’m learning about while I’m doing the experiment. I can now teach others and see it happen,” Ensminger said.

Meanwhile, junior Marlee Cattanach, whose flaming hand experiment garnered the most attention, was pleased with the turnout and the knowledge she’d gained along the way.

“I’ve learned not only extra from science, but it’s branched me into fields that I didn’t even know existed,” Cattanach said. “It’s so cool to see all the kid’s faces, [see them say] ‘oh my gosh, so that’s how it works!’” 

Although some experimental malfunctions occurred along the way, the night kept going as planned, with fellow faculty members dropping in to join in on the fun.

“The purpose of science night is to give an opportunity for students to do experiments and investigations that they might not ever otherwise be able to do,” club adviser Caleb Kellogg said. “It’s a chance for them to share their passion for science with others around them.”

The hard work put in by all of the students was clearly highlighted during the event, with some experiments taking several days to complete. The bright, aesthetically pleasing posters cleverly advertised the experiments, drawing crowds in to watch.

“A lot of people approach it with curiosity, and I think that same curiosity is what leads them to take on the challenge,” Kellogg said.

As the night wrapped up and folks started heading home, friends joined each other to laugh and share the fun, even trying each other’s experiments.

“The community it brings … all these people who are interested in science. I love to be able to see all of these kids that are pretty young [saying]‘why did that happen?’ And even adults are saying ‘oh, when I was in my field of work, I used that!’” Cattanach said. “Seeing everybody come together for such a little event is so cool.”