Mobile Science Museum Visits Homeless Children

The Cal State Long Beach Mobile Science Museum paid a visit to more than 100 children of homeless Long Beach families Tuesday as part of a free, two-week science education camp.

The museum on wheels arrived at the Mary McLeod Bethune Transitional Center at the Villages at Cabrillo around 9 a.m. Tuesday, where about 120 children kindergarten through 8th grade gathered to experience the wide world of science.

Wrapping up the a two-week summer program dubbed See Us Succeed, the MSM presented more than 40 exhibits devoted to sciences ranging from astronomy to zoology. The hands-on displays, which include a marine touch tank and a motion chair, are designed to bring a museum experience to those unable able to visit them.

Started in 1980, the MSM has since grown into one of Cal State Long Beach’s most successful community outreach programs, according to the university.

“It’s one of the more exciting things that I do because it’s something that these kids would never have the opportunity to take part in,” said Laura Henriques, chair of the CSULB Science Education Department, in a statement. “It gives parents time to seek employment or more permanent housing or do things without having to worry about their kids being in safe programming,” she said.

Another one of the many challenges facing families in the homeless community is where to go during the day when shelters close their doors. Adressing that need and more, the program and the credentialed teachers and students of the MSM are ensuring that of all the things local underpiveleged youth lack, a memorable museum visit won’t be one of them.

Made possible by a grant from the Verizon Foundation, the program is a partnership of the Mary McLeod Bethune Transitional Center for Homeless Students, which serves more than 300 students a year, and the Long Beach Unified School District, which serves more than homeless 5,000 students a year, according to their web sites.

The center is named for its founder, McLeod Bethune, who was born to slaves in 1875 and committed her life to ensuring that others had the access to education that she did not as a child.

Adrian, a 23-year-old largely overshadowed by American stars such as Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, made a name for himself by winning the 100-meter Olympic freestyle Wednesday. He lunged to the wall to edge James "The Missile" Magnussen by one-hundredth of a second — the slightest margin possible — and again deny Australia its first individual swimming gold of the London Games.

Adrian pounded the water, then put his hands over his eyes while dangling over the lane rope, as if he couldn't believe the "1" beside his name. Magnussen hung at the end of the pool, staring straight ahead at the wall in disbelief, the wall he got to just a fraction of a second too late.

"It's not who swims the fastest time this year," said Adrian, a not-so-subtle dig at Magnussen posting the best time ever in a textile suit back in March. "It's who can get their hands on the wall first here tonight."

The Aussies took another bitter defeat in the final event of the evening, again to their American rivals as Schmitt chased down Alicia Coutts for gold in the 4x200 freestyle relay.

Schmitt dived in the water about a half-second behind but passed Coutts on their first return lap and won going away in 7 minutes, 42.92 seconds. The Australians settled for another silver in 7:44.41, while France took the bronze.

Schmitt is turning into one of the biggest American stars of the games, picking up her second gold to go along with a silver and a bronze. Seventeen-year-old Missy Franklin also claimed her second gold swimming the leadoff leg, and Dana Vollmer now has two golds in London. Shannon Vreeland rounded out the gold medal-winning quartet.