Bringing practical science applications to the classroom for local elementary students

Kids are naturally curious. Let them tear apart a diaper to see how it absorbs liquid and that curiosity may spark an interest in a science or engineering career.

This spring, for the fourth consecutive year, K-C employees from the Jenks, Oklahoma, facility took a field trip to local elementary schools to share their interest in science and engineering. Jenks is one example of several Kimberly-Clark mills – including most recently Beech Island, South Carolina; Roswell, Georgia; and Paris, Texas – that have gone into schools to teach students about science and engineering careers and conduct science experiments with Kimberly-Clark products.

In recognition of National Engineers Week in February, 25 Kimberly-Clark employees from the Jenks mill made 16 presentations to elementary school students reaching more than 900 kids. They showed the students a video about the manufacturing process at the Jenks mill and guided them through a science experiment on density and another on absorption using a Huggies diaper. The students then tore the diaper apart to see how the material absorbs liquid. The highlight of the day came when the kids made their own sheet of paper using hand sheet formers, complete with sparkles and colored threads in the sheet.

K-C engineer Anne Van Wychen performs an absorption experiment with a group of students at Jenks (Oklahoma) East Elementary.

The purpose of the annual school visits is to show students the practical applications of engineering and introduce them to engineering careers. The gatherings let them have fun with science and teach them that studying science can lead to good careers. The presentations also show them how they can later use in the workplace what they learn at school today.

Jenks employee involvement in this public school program is coordinated by Grant Famuliner, a K-C mechanical engineer, and Anne Van Wychen, a process engineer.

K-C engineer Tom Swegle shows Jenks (Oklahoma) West students the paper-making process.

"The schools eat it up," Famuliner says. "They want this really badly at their schools. I’ve had teachers tell me this is their favorite presentation at their schools."

"Our video, "How Toilet Paper Is Made" is a big hit," Van Wychen says. “The video shows the tissue making process from the pulp receiving dock to finished product shipping. Students get involved in the absorption and density experiments that, of course, feature K-C products."

K-C’s original involvement in National Engineers Week was the brainchild Kimberly-Clark employees Karyn Schroeder of Neenah, Wisconsin, and Wendy Anderson of Roswell, Georgia, who are members of the Society of Women Engineers. However, K-C employees do not have to be women or engineers to volunteer in the program.

Since 2006, K-C employees have reached more than 12,000 students. In some years, as many as 13 K-C sites have participated.

"The employees of Kimberly-Clark were very generous, taking time to spend the day with over 300 third graders," says Sunny Vanstraten, a third grade teacher at Jenks East Elementary School. "Jenks East Elementary third grade teachers were thrilled with the activities that Kimberly-Clark presented. The hands-on activities were very engaging for our students. Kimberly-Clark was able to demonstrate how science is applied in real world jobs. We would love to have them come back next year!"

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