Gloria Castro wasn’t about to let kids have all the fun with the interactive “Angry Birds Universe” exhibit and its giant slingshot.
The plucky 68-year-old loaded it up with a plump bird pillow and aimed at a tower of cushions. She laughed as they tumbled down.
Castro was with a group of local seniors who are spending one day a week at the New York Hall of Science, also known as NYSCI, in Queens as part of a pilot summer project.
The seniors — who range in age from 60 to 92 — experience the hands-on interactive exhibits that explore the concepts of science, technology, engineering and math, known as STEM.
“When they walk in the door, their faces say it all,” said Katherine Rivera, manager of community engagement at NYSCI. “For some of them, it’s their first time here. Others haven’t been here in years. They are happy to be getting out and doing something different.”
While educators have focused on infusing STEM into the curriculum of schoolchildren, it is also vital to stimulating the minds of older people.
“Any time they are mobile and seeing new experiences, it’s a good thing,” said Reyzury Jackson-Rogers, director of the RAICES Corona Neighborhood Senior Center, which is participating in the pilot project.
“We understand one of the biggest issues for seniors is depression,” he said. “The main thing is having a group system, and these activities are amazing.”
The program is part of a larger community outreach effort known as NYSCI Neighbors, designed to better connect local residents with the center, which sits at the edge of Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Every Wednesday, a group of 10 to 15 seniors walk from their center to NYSCI. Bilingual staffers help the mostly Spanish-speaking group navigate the exhibits.
“Many of them would like to come to an institution like this but sometimes they don’t get the translation services they need,” said Ramona Roque, assistant manager of membership at NYSCI. “We really work to make them feel comfortable.”
On a recent day, 86-year-old Luzmila Corilles de Penaloza happily waved her arms to digitally plant seeds and channel water as part of the “Connected Worlds” exhibit, which explores different ecosystems.
“I love hearing the sound of the raindrops coming down,” she said through a translator. “I love the waterfall.”
