Gillespie Museum visited by Starke STARS

Gillespie Museum-Starke Elementary field tripStarke Elementary students participating in the S.T.A.R.S. (Students Turning Around and Reaching For Success) visited the Gillespie Museum on Tuesday morning, April 30, for a tour of Stetson University’s earth science building and native plant landscape. The S.T.A.R.S. program provides support and experiences for children including mentoring, field trips, and guest speakers. Support for this field trip comes from the Food Brings Hope program, Stetson University’s Hollis Institute and Gillespie Museum.

During their visit, the S.T.A.R.S. toured the museum’s mineral collection, participated in a geology lab to learn about the physical properties of minerals and competed in a native plant scavenger hunt on the museum’s grounds. In the culminating activity for the students, pictured to the left, Starke Elementary third grade teacher Alex Sanchez ’12, explains how to mine for minerals.

“Our visitors had a chance to look closely at the natural world and to think about the possibilities for career paths in the sciences,” said Gillespie Museum Director Karen Cole. “We were pleased to have this chance to share our museum with this group of motivated students.”

“Our professional development school partnership with Starke Elementary benefits all of us—the elementary students, Stetson students and the school and university faculties,” said Stetson Education Professor Bette Heins. “Through these initiatives, we all grow.”

For more information about Gillespie Museum at Stetson University, visit https://www.stetson.edu/other/gillespie-museum/ or call 386-822-7330. Click here for more information about Stetson University’s Teacher Education Department, or call 386-822-7072.