Traveler finds fun in science

Fremont Elementary students cheered as third-grade teacher Eric Jackson danced under a strobe light as part of a demonstration of light during a special science assembly Wednesday.

"I felt silly," Jackson said. However, he said it was worth it. "It gets the kids involved. It makes them see science is fun."

The demonstration was conducted by Todd "Hoss" McNutt, who travels the western United States presenting science assemblies. He covers a wide variety of subjects from gravity to light travel.

In his demonstration with Jackson, McNutt explained the function of light.

"You cannot see an object unless there is light to reflect off of that object," McNutt said. "If I can control the light, I can control what you see."

He told the students that scientific knowledge is the key to understanding the world - even magic.

"If you control the elements, you have the power," he said. "Everything you see in magic uses a little bit of science."

Enrique Mendoza, 11, said he enjoyed the explanation McNutt gave of different magic tricks.

"It's interesting," Mendoza said. "He shows you how to do magic tricks."

Fifth-grader Lyndsey Rex said he was surprised by McNutt's demonstration showing that shadows do not have to be black.

"It was strange because there were three different colors and three different shadows," Rex said. "Usually when you walk down the street, you only see one shadow."

McNutt used student volunteers and teachers to illustrate the different scientific concepts. He called on third-grade teacher James Wheeler to demonstrate how sound travels.

"I think it's great," Wheeler said. "I like the visual presentations and the way he uses the audience. It's always a good sign when the kids are interested and following along."

McNutt said a similar assembly in the fourth grade got him interested in science.

"It got me so excited about it, I majored in it," he said.

McNutt started out as a civil engineer, then became a teacher for 14 years. He left teaching 10 years ago because he said he wanted to have a more direct impact on more students with science.

"I just got to where I wanted to get more people excited about science," he said. "Take a look at what's happened in the last 10 years in our lives as far as computers and technology. More and more of that stuff is getting farmed out to other countries. It's because kids aren't excited about it. They don't see the fun in it, they get bogged down by the numbers."

McNutt had another message as well.

"If you want to become a doctor, an engineer or a scientist, the only one stopping you is you," he told the students.

He said when he left teaching to take his science assembly on the road, many other teachers told him he would not be able to do it.

"They said you're dreaming," he said. "Welcome to my dream. You made my dream come true."

McNutt was at Mark Twain Elementary on Tuesday and will be at Seeliger Elementary today.