SSFP Reporters Visit the Weis Earth Science Museum


One hot day this summer, Deney, Sarah, Josepha,  drove all the way from the Free Press newsroom off West Broadway to Appleton, Wisconsin, ready to learn about space and geology. We embarked on this journey to attend the annual Wisconsin Space Grant Conference, titled “Uncharted Lands: Geology and Space.” While we were in the city, we visited the Weis Earth Science Museum to learn about fossils, rocks, and minerals.

The Museum is named after Leonard and Donna Weis, who donated the first gift to the Weis Earth Museum and later became its directors. Joanne Kluessendorf is the museum’s founding director.

All of the exhibits in the museum were donated by T. John Barlow, Clyde Stephenson, and Donald G. Mikulie.  Barlow, a long-time resident of Appleton, donated his collection of award-winning minerals to the museum. While Stephenson donated a large collection of minerals which he acquired on his trips around the world. Mikulic, a geologist from Illinois, gave the museum a variety of fossils.

When we arrived at the museum, we began our tour. The museum had many exhibits that caught our eye, from the making-of-earthquakes display, to a mine tunnel filled with beautiful rocks and fossils. Our favorite exhibit was the fossil display. Here we saw fossils from dinosaurs and other creatures from millions and millions of years ago. We were able to touch bones and imagine how they once belonged to bodies that roamed the Earth.

At the Weis Earth Science Museum, we learned a lot of new facts about the world around us! And we got to see things we never thought we would see up close! It was a great experience, and we look forward to visiting again soon.

“My Experience at the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Conference”

Female Free Press Reporters Continue to Explore STEM Subjects

What an awesome experience the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Conference was! We attended several sessions during the conference led by professionals, about a variety of space science topics. The conference was very educational, and loved learning about machines used in the International Space Station. Having a booth and participating in the Free Press poster presentation on Space Science Journalism was a great way to meet new people and gain confidence with my public speaking skills! If I could go to this conference again next year I would love to go.

My experience at the 28th annual Wisconsin Space Conference was delightful! My favorite part was when Yoyo and I were running around the building to help WSGC staff set up different exhibits and portions of the event. The numerous lectures were intriguing, too. This conference was very fun, and I hope to go again. It was a new experience for me, I especially loved being surrounded by my fellow female reporters while learning about science. Thank you WSCG for a fabulous opportunity.

I loved reading this. Thank you. – Ashley , Franklin Middle School Janesville (2018-09-29 10:28)
The Science Museum is a fantastic day out, however, due to COVID-19 the overall experience was a bit of a letdown. A lot of things in the museum are interactive such as tablets and a lot of these were off due to social distancing measures.Nevertheless my family and I had a fantastic time and the space section was our favorite. – Brian Clair , United Kingdom (2020-09-18 04:04)
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