By MEGAN SMITH

Staff Writer

Young minds were given the chance to experience space science last week at the fifth annual Space Days. The IDEA Place's Space Days 2004 introduced pre-kindergarten through eighth-graders to the world of science.

The event was sponsored by NASA and several Ruston businesses, including County Market, Just Ask Rental, Backus True Value, Ruston Fire Department and McDonald's.

Space Days started five years ago to commemorate the opening of the NASA Research Center. The center is the educational resource center for NASA in Louisiana and is located next to the IDEA Place.

This year the event was expanded to a full week to accommodate the 3,000 students who attended, Dr. Glenn Beer, director of the Science and Technology Education Center, said.

"One of our hopes is that these students come away with an understanding and appreciation of what NASA is and what their mission is," Beer said.

Two presentations about space exploration and the Mission to Mars were held in the second floor of the Student Center and Wyly Tower of Learning Auditorium.

Other stations were set up in the Planetarium, IDEA Place and the area between Robinson Hall and Woodard Hall.

"Through the experiment gallery, we want them to experience doing individual exploration, conducting experiments and those kinds of things," Beer said.

Dr. Julie Holmes, director of educational programs at the IDEA Place, said she hopes students get the feeling that science is cool.

"Lots of times kids think that science is boring or it's not interesting, but science can actually be a really cool subject to learn in school," Holmes said.

Steven Culivan, aerospace specialist for the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, spoke to the students about the Mission to Mars. He said he hopes through this program, students will develop an appreciation for NASA's mission.

"I want the kids to become inquisitive, to ask questions and be able to answer questions," Culivan said.

"All of that is part of the exploration spirit."

Beer said this week gives students in the College of Education a chance to interact with the children.

"We probably have 100 teacher candidates in the College of Education volunteer to work during this event," Beer said.

"They get an opportunity to interact with kids at that grade level and see firsthand what effective classroom management is all about."

Holmes said this gives the kids a chance to see what other opportunities are out there.

"These kinds of opportunities," Holmes said, "give them the chance to dream a little bit and know there are other things that they can do when they grow up."