DISCOVERY NETWORK PULLS INTO PINE BLUFF

By Eva Marie Pearson/COMMERCIAL ACCENT EDITOR

The Arkansas Discovery Network officially arrived in Pine Bluff on Thursday with two world-class exhibits and performances by the “Bubble Man.”

The Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, one of seven member museums, is celebrating its launch with two exhibitions, “Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body” and “The Race for Planet X,” and free public and school performances of “Bubble Magic” by Tom Noddy, the “Bubble Man.”

The first-of-its-kind collaboration is funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and dedicated to providing high-quality exhibits and educational programs within the framework of the state’s curriculum requirements. The exhibits will be hosted by each of the member museums.

The network is made up of the Arts and Science Center, along with the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources in Smackover, Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs, Arkansas State University Museum in Jonesboro and Texarkana Museums System. The University of

Arkansas Center for Mathematics and Science Education in Fayetteville will host Network exhibits until a permanent Northwest Arkansas museum partner is identified.

The Network means that the Arts and Science Center can bring the best exhibits and program to its constituents, said Kristi Alexander, executive director of the center.

“Grossology,” “The Race for Planet X” and the performances by Noddy are all made possible through the Reynolds Foundation’s support of the Network. The Arts and Science Center could never have afforded this alone, she said.

“These exhibits, programs and educational opportunities will put us far ahead of other institutions in this state and many other states,” Alexander said.

Now in its second year, the Network is operating on a five-year grant of $7,373,173 from the Reynolds Foundation, which operates primarily in Arkansas, Nevada and Oklahoma, said Diane LaFollette.

“We are the leaders here,” she said. “We should be proud of what we’ve done.”

This celebration, launching what the center does for the community, is absolutely wonderful, said Mayor Carl Redus.

After seeing the “Grossology” exhibit, Redus said that his 4-year-old son, Trey, has added a new word to his vocabulary. He said that when he does something he doesn’t like, Trey says, “Ah that’s gross.”

Trudy Redus, Trey’s mother, said that he has been here three times and every time they drive by, he wants to stop. She has brought two carloads of children to see the exhibit and they are coming back Saturday for “Bubble Magic.”

“Little Trey loves it,” his mother said.

Dr. Melvin Bryant, deputy superintendent of the Pine Bluff School District, was as enthusiastic as Trey. A former science teacher, Bryant noted that exhibits and programming follow the state curriculum for science and math. “Somebody did their homework,” he added.

State Rep. Toni Bradford, a retired educator, said that it is exciting to see innovation in education. It is something that her three grandsons — 5, 7 and 11 — and all other children will enjoy.

It is science in disguise, Bradford said. They will learn and not even know it and it won’t be painful.