On Saturday morning (a.k.a. Earth Day 2017), my friend, fellow science-enthusiast, and Scientists in the Field author Amy Cherrix and I braved the damp, drizzly weather to head down to the Parkman Bandstand, where the Kids’ March for Science Boston was taking place next to the adult march on the Boston Common.



We only stayed for two hours due to the rain and, as a result, didn’t end up actually marching with the large crowd assembled, but we did get to hear the fantastic speakers that were part of the kids’ march. Prior to the event’s official kick-off at 1:00 p.m., science teacher Warren Phillips energized everyone for the first hour with sing-a-long science songs. (Our favorite was “Single Cells” to the tune of “Jingle Bells”).

The presentations included a speech by eloquent eighteen-year-old Harvard science student Chioma Onuoha; a science cheer taught to us by Samantha Gromek, a Science Cheerleader (who knew there was such a group? Go ladies!); a science demonstration by local organization Wicked Cool for Kids; and a lively dramatic reading of Andrea Beaty's picture book Ada Twist, Scientist by the Fourth Presbyterian Church's teen production class.

But the highlights for us were hearing children’s book author/illustrator Jason Chin and Scientists in the Field author Sy Montgomery. (We may have been the two people fangirl-screaming a little bit when Chin was announced.) He didn’t disappoint, giving a brief-but-adorable-and-rousing speech about how he was able to write his books on redwoods, coral reefs, and gravity thanks to the research of "Real Scientists." Montgomery capped off the program with an informative overview of her adventures in New Guinea with scientist Lisa Dabek searching for the rare Matschie tree kangaroo (as discussed in detail in Quest for the Tree Kangaroo). She closed by emphasizing the importance of being concerned about and connected to science all over the world, since we all share planet Earth and affect its survival and the survival of everything living on it.





For more information on the day’s events, check out the march’s website, and don't miss Kitty Flynn's thoughts on the march over at Family Reading. A special shout-out to Horn Book internship alum Vicky Gudelot and her fellow event organizers for pulling together this engaging kids’ component of the march.

As the band They Might Be Giants sings, “Science Is Real!”