BASF and Louisiana Art & Science Museum enter ninth year of Kids’ Lab partnership
BATON ROUGE, LA, MARCH 21, 2019 — For the ninth year, BASF and the Louisiana Art & Science Museum (LASM) will create chemistry by offering BASF Kids’ Lab workshops to area schools and the public. As in previous years, support of LASM is part of the company’s ongoing effort to promote and enhance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and encourage children to explore the connections between chemistry and the world around them.
The Kids’ Lab program is open for children ages 6 – 12 and their accompanying adults on the second and fourth weekends of every month. Program topics change monthly and range from DNA extraction in “Chemistry is Bananas!” to creating slime with “Playful Polymers.” Visitors can also enjoy BASF-sponsored programs during LASM’s sixth-annual Engineering Day on Saturday, March 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“Kids always seem to have a sense of wonder. Through the interactive Kids’ Lab program, BASF and LASM spark that sense of wonder by pairing chemistry with fun,” said Chris Witte, BASF Senior Vice President. “BASF Kids’ Lab is about encouraging students to enjoy and pursue their interests in science and explore career possibilities in the field.”
In addition to the Kids’ Lab workshops, BASF sponsored more than 400 hours of pop-up programming at LASM in 2018 along with providing free admission to 875 visitors during Free First Sunday in October.
“We are very fortunate to have the partnership with BASF," said Serena Pandos, President & Executive Director of the Museum. "We share a vision to inspire our audience to take up the pursuit of science and are so grateful that BASF sponsors so many of our programs. Their generous commitment to STEM education provides access and opportunity for students and families to learn together.”
Since 2011, approximately 14,500 fourth graders, nearly 1,000 teachers and more than 2,600 adult chaperones from Ascension and East Baton Rouge Parish schools have participated in Kids’ Lab at LASM. In addition, over 11,500 weekend visitors have enjoyed these BASF workshops and interactive demonstrations.
“I had the privilege to work and learn alongside the students of LaSalle Elementary School during this wonderful program," said Warren Drake, East Baton Rouge Parish School Superintendent. "The level of intelligence and creativity that students displayed in the experiment was truly astounding. The workshop helped them connect their classroom experience with the real world and that is what inspires lifelong learning. I cannot thank BASF enough for their sponsorship of this excellent program.”
More information on BASF Kids’ Lab at LASM is available at www.lasm.org.
About BASF
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 20,000 employees in North America and had sales of around $19.7 billion in 2018. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com.
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.
About the Louisiana Art & Science Museum
A nonprofit organization housed on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum enhances the understanding and appreciation of art and science for general audiences and students by presenting unique, educational, and entertaining experiences that encourage discovery, inspire creativity, and foster the pursuit of knowledge. More information about the Art & Science Museum is available at lasm.org.
