On Earth Day, April 22, 6th- grade teachers Mrs. Galbreath and Mr. Bradburn transformed their classrooms into weather stations by welcoming the Northern Illinois University (NIU) chapter of the American Meteorological Society to Lombard Middle School.
As part of the "AMS on Wheels" outreach program, the NIU chapter of the American Meteorological Society spent the day leading immersive presentations for every class period. The visit was led by Lexi, a senior meteorology student, and Michael, a junior, who guided students through the mechanics of weather and the diverse career paths available in the field.
The lesson turned loud during a hands-on experiment where students recreated the physics of a lightning streak to understand exactly what causes the "boom" of thunder.
This tradition began years ago through the initiative of former student and past AMS chapter president, Kelvin Hawthorne. Though leadership has changed, the partnership remains a cornerstone of the school's OpenSciEd curriculum. We are grateful to the NIU chapter for its continued commitment to bringing high-level sciences to life for students.
