Getting out in the community is always a fun time for the Hearing Associates team. It’s even better when we can bring hearing health education to the public. Last month, we attended the North Iowa STEM Festival to help the organization “promote, inspire and engage youth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”
It was the perfect opportunity to meet young students and families to educate them on the science of sound and the importance of protecting their hearing.
What is the North Iowa STEM Festival?
The annual event is organized by the Iowa Department of Education and provides interactive STEM activities to help children learn about topics from animal behavior to radio waves. STEM career education is another important component of the festival.
How We Made an Impact
Dr. Caroline Cross, Dr. Bryce Phillips, Alex Crippin and Brittany Baltierra spent April 9 at Mason City High School Fieldhouse and met students from kindergarten through eighth grade and their families.
Our table featured three activities:
Guitar table: We stretched a string over a table and weighed it down by tying water bottles to each end. Two pencils were placed 12 inches apart underneath the string to create the “frets.” Students plucked each string to “play” the guitar and learn how the weight of the water bottle and the length of the string affected the vibration and sound.
Good vibrations: Students got to see how sound vibrations travel by tapping tuning forks on the side of a bowl filled with sprinkles.
Friction balloon: A nut was placed inside an inflated balloon. We spun the balloons to showcase the sounds they made.
Why Hearing Education Matters
It’s never too early to start protecting your hearing health. Part of our goal of participating in the North Iowa STEM Festival was to bring hearing education to young people, so they’re aware of how their behavior can impact their auditory system. Treatment is reactive, so we wanted to take a proactive approach and help our community learn how their hearing works and what they can do to reduce their risk of hearing loss.
Here to Help You Hear
If you’re looking for a local audiology practice in northern Iowa or southern Minnesota, then come to Hearing Associates. Our services include:
- Hearing testing
- Hearing aid and device prescription
- Device fitting and cleaning
- Custom hearing protection
- Auditory rehabilitation
- Auditory learning
Call 1-888-760-2032 or schedule your appointment online.