A trio of Rowan University senior mechanical engineering students arrived in Laura Kinney’s Orchard Valley Middle School classroom after school recently with homemade playdoh, wire and LED lights for an experiment with members of the school’s Engineering Club. Jake Mahom, Brandon Kreusch and Pietro Sparacio explained how two batches of playdoh, one containing lemon juice and one containing sugar, could be used as an electricity conductor or a resistor. 

The project had the students simulating electrical circuits by placing wire, hooked up to batteries, in the playdoh and illuminating various LED lights.

“We were grateful to have the Rowan students stop by for this hands-on activity,” Kinney said.  “We meet twice a month and do all kinds of fun stuff.  It’s a great opportunity to introduce future career path opportunities to students who may be interested in STEM-related fields.”

The District’s middle curriculum includes an Introduction to Engineering in sixth grade, Invention, Innovation and STEM in seventh grade and Engineering in Our World in eighth grade.

Izabella Beato (left) and Sana Senyurt teamed on the project.

Visiting Rowan University engineering student Brandon Kreusch assists OVMS engineering club members (clockwise) Ben Zemski, Logan Eddis and Ian Snyder with their project.

OVMS engineering club members Dayton Lundberg (left) and Logan Elias react after illuminating their LED lights.

Rowan University students Brandon Kreusch (kneeling) and Jake Mahom (standing) give a hand to OVMS students (clockwise from top) Nick Amorose, Ian Snyder and Logan Eddis.