DINUBA – A popular illusionist who has brought his magic skills into the world of science and education is helping launch the opening and production of a first-year pilot program, the Dinuba Science Summer Camp, in the Dinuba Unified School District.
Jason Latimer, who also serves as curator of the Impossible Science Program for the Fleet Science Center in San Diego, performed to third-through-sixth grade students at the Dinuba Science Summer Camp on Monday, July 10, at Kennedy Elementary School. The science camp, spread over 15 weekdays through Friday, July 28, is a culmination of six months of planning and partnership between the school district and the Fleet Science Center.
“It’s very important for a child to have a positive experience with STEAM before the age of 13,” Latimer said. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. “There are tons of studies saying that if they don’t have any experience of science before the age of 13, they probably won’t be a scientist.”
The 42-year-old Latimer has built a reputation combining illusion and magic with science to educate young students and build their passion in science. He first gained renown in 2003, when he became one of four Americans ever to win the title of Grand Prix “Best Overall” at the World Championships of Magic. He launched the Impossible Science program in 2015.
During his presentation, Latimer wowed the youngsters with the clear cups and balls, a routine he used in the 2003 world championships that he said was a routine every magician had said couldn’t be done. He said he brought the illusion to life through “perceptual psychology,” putting a solid object through other solid objects through engineering.
Latimer also brought a drawing to life on the skin of his left arm – where the image appears to change – and had kids predict a Rubik’s Cube. He capped the performance by showing the scientific effects of a laser beam of light, and how it gives the illusion of being controlled and passing through the body.
“This is the first time we’ve taken the stage shows (out during the summer), and (our team presents) technology, engineering, arts and mathematics all through magic,” Latimer said.
The summer appearance in Dinuba is a new step in the program’s outreach. Latimer, who co-hosts a Science Channel series called “SciJinks,” gave a brief description of Impossible Science’s growth to three western states and its connection to educating young people on the wonders of science.
“Our curriculum, which is a next generation science standard curriculum, the kids are going to be learning these experiments that if you don’t understand them, they’ll look like magic,” Latimer said. “We’re going to learn how to ‘bend light,’ we’re going to learn how to read each other’s minds but through mathematics. They’ll be making things float in the air but through static electricity or sound.”
Latimer said each Friday during the camp’s three weeks, the Fleet Science Center staff will put on an Impossible Science Festival. At that event, space will be converted to allow students to do a hands-on, “mind-blowing” experience that he says builds upon what the students have learned in class.
“There’s a difference between watching me do something, because I’ve spent my life studying science,” he said. “But after these next three weeks, these kids are going to have a very extensive education in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.”
Jess Sanchez, administrator of Expanded Learning Opportunities and School Safety for Dinuba Unified, helped secure Latimer and Impossible Science for the pilot program summer camp. He praised the young students signing up and the teachers involved with the daily instruction.
“Never have we had school in July, and we were looking to capture the kids’ engagement, and the curiosity (about the program) was there for us,” Sanchez said.
The signups for the camp were capped off at 300 students and parents-family, and after a slightly lower first-day turnout and attendance was expected to get back to maximum during the week.
“To reach this many people this quickly, or on this type of scale, within the school system is truly a dream come true,” Latimer said.
