Students attending the recent Arizona SciTech Festival event at Red Mountain High School got to see how local businesses use math and science in their everyday activities.
While the school science fair went on inside, the outside area was set up for local business displays.
AAA Gold Exchange co-owner Michele Santos was among many representatives of businesses and organizations like Boeing, The Home Depot, Subzero, Mesa Police and Salt River Project. She and others set up demonstrations to show students why it is important to learn science and math skills, and how those skills can relate to their future employment.
Michele showed students how she uses chemistry and mathematical measurement to calculate the value of the gold and diamonds she buys in her cash-for-gold business. “I let them do tests on the gold jewelry by scratching the objects against a jeweler’s stone until it left a mark,” she explained. She then had them watch her test the scratches with various chemicals to evaluate the purity and carat rating of the items.
Michele also used electronic instruments to test the conductivity of the metal. Finally, she challenged the students to do the mathematical figuring on how the weight and carat number of the gold could be valued at the day’s gold market spot prices. “It probably wasn’t as exciting to them as CSI stuff, but they seemed to have fun doing it,” she said.
“I don’t think children often realize how much math is used in many transactions every day, but there seemed to be a lot of excitement and interest in the various demonstrations,” said Michele. “I have four kids in Mesa Public Schools—two in elementary, one in junior high and one in high school,” she continued. “They all came out to the event, and even though they had to leave for a bit, they all insisted their dad bring them back again to finish out the day.”
Michele was extremely impressed to see a science fair bring schools and local businesses together. “The fair shows kids the importance of math and science in their everyday lives,” she said, “and how it will benefit them in the future when they get jobs and have to run a household.”
AAA Gold Exchange is on the southwest corner of Brown and Power roads. For information, call (480) 247-6876, or visit www.AAAGoldExchange.com.