Miz Wiz Brings Out the Magic in Science

One of these days, Carol J. Grimes will see the results of her yearlong classroom science demonstration program at Hopkins Elementary School in Los Alamitos, where she is known as Miz Wiz.

“I hope when some of these kids are doing science in high school and college, they’ll remember this beginning and won’t ever lose the excitement for science,” she said.

She initiated her science program after reading a letter to the editor of a science magazine.

The letter writer, who had just won a prestigious science award, described how he was influenced in studying science after seeing a chemistry show.

“I said, ‘My gosh, that’s incredible how something can influence people,’ ” Grimes recalls. “I always had that feeling but never thought it was something I could do.”

Until Miz Wiz initiated her science program.

She is quick to point out that her weekly school visits are only meant to augment what the classroom teacher offers.

“Most elementary school teachers realize their background in science is not that strong and are appreciative of the help I can give them,” said Grimes, a chemistry teacher at Golden West College.

After greeting her young charges, she gives them a message.

“I tell them chemistry is magic and science is neat and science is fun,” said Grimes.

Grimes, a graduate of the defunct Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, said she needed to “switch gears” to teach kids instead of college students.

“I had to learn quite a bit about what the elementary school student can absorb and I’m sure I’ve missed here and there, but we are making progress,” she said.

It helped to have a 7-year-old son with a probing mind, Grimes said. “Robbie helps me when we do science together,” she said. “He likes to do science experiments with Mom.”

At school, she doesn’t just talk to the kids to get them interested in science.

“I’m a showman and I try to be dramatic,” said the Los Alamitos resident. “I have different kinds of lessons for different grades, and I even bring things from college to show them.”

One of her experiments is an exploding hydrogen balloon.

“Kids love anything that explodes,” she said. “It also wakes them up.”

She sometimes bring nontoxic chemicals so the kids can make their own slime. “This is a touch-and-show program,” she points out. Her bag of magic tricks includes a light-and-color demonstration.

Her work with children from kindergarten through fifth grade is strictly volunteer.

“Many parents donate their time by helping students read or run carnivals to raise money, and I wanted to do something I was qualified to do,” she said.

Grimes asked administrators at Hopkins, her son’s school, if she could put on a science show and was greeted with open arms.

“I visit a different classroom every week during the school year,” Grimes said. “In effect, I took my science show on the road.” The school has 21 classrooms.

And once a year she holds Science Saturday for families to share a learning experience with one another.

Most of all, Miz Wiz wants to be a role model.

“I never realized how important role models were until I started to teach and women students would come back to me and tell me how I had been a role model for them,” she said. “I want to be a role model for those little girls and let them know that girls can do science.”

Scott Wyatt just turned 18, but he has already learned a lesson in maturity after mounting a drive to raise $9,800. He needs the money to pay his way on a six-month international good will singing tour with Up With People. The San Clemente youth found that most people are generous but that many are difficult to convince on the merits of the trip.

“If I learned anything, I found people were very giving,” said Wyatt, who collected $5,200 in donations. His parents, Judy and Bob Beaulieu, said they would pay a third of the cost if he raised the rest.

He is still shy $1,200 but plans to work as a waiter to meet his goal. “I have until July 31st to do it,” he said. “I’ll make it.”