IBM specialists and technicians recently conducted science experiments with students at Green Chimneys, a school for children with learning and behavioral challenges.

In one classroom, students collaborated with IBM volunteers to create "space probes" that could carry a "payload" of small metal washers using a balloon, a drinking straw, fishing line and tape. After a pep talk from Green Chimneys board member Mike Otten - who worked on the first Apollo space mission as an IBM employee - they were off.

"As we started each class period, we could see from the expressions on the students' faces that they weren't sure what to expect from us," said Mary Murray, IBM's manager of corporate citizenship. "But, as each period progressed, the kids really became involved with their engineering challenge."

In a second classroom, younger students were charged with building a spaghetti or linguine bridge that would be strong enough to support a paper basket filled with pennies. Once again, students were thoroughly engaged as they put their heads and hands together to problem solve.

"When they finished, each team of architects was eager to share what they had learned. The best part of all of this was that they had fun using science," said Susan Youngblood, the event's coordinator from IBM.

Submitted by Green Chimneys.