>> WELCOME TO "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."
I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.
FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS ACROSS THE STATE, BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
SCIENTISTS.
THAT'S RIGHT.
THE NORTH CAROLINA SCIENCE FESTIVAL IS UNDERWAY, AND THERE
ARE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AND LOVERS OF KNOWLEDGE ALL ACROSS
THE STATE.
RICK SULLIVAN HAS A PREVIEW.
[BELL CLANGING]
>> EVERY YEAR FOR 17 DAYS IN APRIL, YOU'LL SEE, HEAR, AND
HOPEFULLY PARTICIPATE IN ONE OR MORE OF ABOUT 750 DIFFERENT
MIND-EXPANDING ACTIVITIES ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA.
IT'S THE NORTH CAROLINA SCIENCE FESTIVAL.
>> WHOA!
>> WE ARE HOPING TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING, AND MATH, AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS IN OUR EVERYDAY
LIFE.
>> THE MISSION OF THE FESTIVAL IS TO EXPOSE AS MANY NORTH
CAROLINIANS TO STEM AS POSSIBLE.
THE EVENTS CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS NOSTALGIC AS AN ANTIQUE TRAIN
OPERATION IN THE SMALL RURAL TOWN OF BONSELL NEAR RALEIGH,
OR THEY CAN BE FESTIVE ACTIVITIES LIKE THIS STREET
GATHERING ON THE CAMPUS OF UNC-CHAPEL HILL.
THIS IS WHERE HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS GET INVOLVED IN
SOMETHING THAT LOOKS MORE LIKE FUN THAN SCIENCE.
>> SCIENCE IS FUN.
AND THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT, I THINK -- IF YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED A
DIFFICULTY WITH SCIENCE, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE SCIENCE HAS NOT
BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU IN A PARTICULAR WAY.
BUT SCIENCE IS THE MOST FUN CONTENT AREA THAT I'VE EVER
EXPLORED.
AND I'M A SCIENCE EDUCATOR, SO I'M SLIGHTLY BIASSED, BUT I
THINK YOU'D BE HARD-PRESSED TO NOT HAVE A GOOD TIME AT ANY OF
THE EVENTS AT THE NORTH CAROLINA SCIENCE FESTIVAL.
>> MANY OF THE ACTIVITIES AND EXHIBITS ON THE SCIENCE FESTIVAL
SCHEDULE CAN ALSO BE ENJOYED AT OTHER TIMES OF YEAR.
THE FESTIVAL IS SIMPLY THE FACILITATOR AND PROMOTER FOR THE
MANY POSSIBILITIES THAT ENJOY SCIENCE THAT ALREADY OCCUR.
>> AND WE CUT THE END OFF OF...
>> NORTH CAROLINA IS FILLED WITH WONDERFUL RESOURCES,
SCIENCE-RELATED RESOURCES, SCIENCE BUSINESSES, UM, SCIENCE
SCHOOLS, UH, WONDERFUL PLACES TO LEARN, EXPLORE, MUSEUMS,
PLANETARIUMS.
>> THERE WILL BE STAR PARTIES AT SITES ACROSS THE STATE, WIGGLY
WORM STUDIES IN OTHER PLACES.
EXPERTS AND INNOVATORS AND EDUCATORS WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS
AND HOPE TO SPARK NEW IDEAS AND CURIOSITIES.
THEY MIGHT EVEN TAKE YOU FOR A RIDE WHILE TOOTING THEIR OWN
HORN.
>> WE HAVE FULLY TRAINED STAFF.
OUR STEAM ENGINEER PROGRAM IS FULLY ACCREDITED.
WE'VE GRADUATED A FEW STEAM ENGINE OPERATORS.
BUT THE SCIENCE OF TEAM, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GET INTO IT AND
LOOK AT THE INVENTION THAT JAMES WATT CAME UP WITH WITH THE STEAM
ENGINE, IT'S JUST A MARVEL OF ENGINEERING FOR ITS DAY.
>> SCIENCE IS EVERYWHERE, AND THE NORTH CAROLINA SCIENCE
FESTIVAL EXEMPLIFIES THAT.
YOU CAN FIND SCIENCE IN A BREWERY IF YOU'RE AN ADULT, THE
SCIENCE OF BEER-MAKING.
THERE'S A LOT OF SCIENCE IN FOOD.
THERE'S CERTAINLY SCIENCE IN SPORTS.
WE HAVE PARTNERS ALL ACROSS THE STATE.
>> TO KEEP FOLKS INFORMED ABOUT THE MORE THAN 700 EVENTS IN
NEARLY 100 COUNTIES, IT TAKES A LOT OF ORGANIZATION.
FORTUNATELY, THE ORGANIZERS OF THE SCIENCE FESTIVAL ARE AS GOOD
AT INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION AS THEY ARE AT HAVING FUN.
>> THE BEST PLACE TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA SCIENCE
FESTIVAL IS IN OUR WEBSITE, www.ncsciencefestival.org.
>> MORE THAN TWO DOZEN EVENTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR OPENING DAY
ALONE.
THAT'S APRIL 10th.
THE SCIENCE FESTIVAL WILL DRAW HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
PARTICIPANTS FOR 17 STRAIGHT DAYS, ENDING APRIL 26th.
I'M RICK SULLIVAN FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."