The Center for Science and Industry in Columbus, better known to parents with kids as the COSI Museum, has been delivering thousands of science kits to schools around the state.
The kits, or "Learning Lunch Boxes," contain activities designed to promote STEM education along with arts, culture and history.
In order to distribute the Learning Lunch Boxes locally, COSI partners with local non-profits. In Springfield, the museum also teamed up with the 2nd Harvest Food Bank, which provided meals to the kids.
It’s part of COSI’s Ohio Distance Learning Initiative.
Jenna Leinasars is a communications specialist with the Springfield City School District. She says the benefits of the lunch boxes extend beyond what’s inside them.
“Anything that we can build on their education to really instill the concepts and principles that we're teaching them is a fantastic benefit," she said. "So, even our little first graders at Lincoln Elementary are getting that needed exposure that one day we hope that they can look back on and relate it to a career they potentially will have."
All K-6 students in the district received the science kits. The school district says its leaving it up to teachers to decide if the kits will be available to take home or if they’ll be integrated into the classroom instead.
COSI also has a variety of themed kits available for sale on their website.
