About Us
HISTORY
In early Spring 1995, construction began with money donated from a private, charitable trust. To honor the benefactor who provided that trust, our facility was named the William L. Abernathy Science Education Center. It opened in September of 1996 and received a remodel and expansion of the existing facility in 2006. The 5,000 square foot expansion focused on providing unique learning opportunities for all K-12 students, with increased student opportunities in the field of biosciences.
The Science Education Center is comprised of multiple facilities on the campus of the Education Service Center at Greenbush, which include the PSU-Greenbush Astrophysical Observatory, Mission Space Station, a simulated rainforest, wind turbine, paleontology dig, and the Greenbush Digital Theater. Each component is designed to allow hands-on learning experiences and labs. Other services that are provided by the Science Education Center are:
- Professional development opportunities for teachers
- Programs and tours to community groups
- Technology integration as part of each learning experience/lab
- Free monthly public programs at the PSU-Greenbush Astrophysical Observatory
- Summer camps and academies for area youth
WHO COMES TO THE SCIENCE CENTER
The Science Education Center is a one-stop resource to help educators improve their students success in science and also serves as a valuable tool for teachers and community members. By providing learning experiences and labs that use equipment or materials not accessible in their school, district, or community, we have approximately 12,000 visitors annually! Additionally, all learning experiences and labs are aligned to the Kansas State Science Standards, capturing the interest and challenging the capabilities of our students.
FUNDING
Funding for the Science Education Center comes from competitive state and federal grants and district membership fees.