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Sofia Medina cautiously held out her hand toward the yellow and black ball python as it drew a crowd around the science fair booth at the California State University, East Bay campus. The python’s handler assured the 7th grader that its scales would be dry to the hand, explaining to the families gathered there that unlike humans, most snakes do not have oils on their skin.

“I was very nervous – it felt nice though!” said Medina, who is from Hayward. She learned that “there’s no reason for the snake to bite you if they’re not threatened.”

Students like Medina came from all over the Bay Area to the Science in the Park fair in Hayward on Saturday. Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle was heartened to see the dozens of exhibits set up across the CSUEB campus after the biennial event, first launched in Union City in 1997, was put on hiatus due to on the pandemic.

“The whole concept is to bring science to the public,” Valle said. “You walk away with a lot of knowledge and understanding of how science works.”

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – October 1: Leonard Page, of Classroom Safari, Dartgator, shows an alligator to visitors during the Science in the Park fair at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, California, on Saturday, October 1, 2022. The activities were education in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics involved in a science fair event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 1: Ahmadull Habibi, 7, left, and his sister Bibi Zainab Habibi, 9, still as Sterling Johnson of Sterling Bubbles, cover their bodies with a giant bubble during the Science in the Park fair at Cal State East. Bay in Hayward, Calif., Saturday, October 1, 2022. Educational activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics were part of the science fair event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 1: Ahmadull Habibi, 7, left, and his sister Bibi Zainab Habibi, 9, react as a giant bubble made by Sterling Johnson of Sterling Bubbles pops during the Science in the Park fair at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif., Saturday, October 1, 2022. Educational activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics were part of the science fair event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 1: Veeraj Tare, 7, of Fremont, continues the flight of the paper rocket he made during the Science in the Park fair at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, California, Saturday, October 1, 2022. educational activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics as part of the science fair event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 1: Veeraj Tare, 7, of Fremont, prepares to launch his paper rocket during the Science in the Park fair at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Science Educational activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics were part of the fair event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 1: Firefighter Justin McReynolds of the Hayward Fire Department drops an egg inside a recyclable plastic bottle filled with pillow stuff with a parachute attached during an egg drop 60 feet from an engine ladder as part of Science in the Park fairgrounds at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The egg, from Hayward participant Autumn Bernal, 6, survived the fall. Educational activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics were part of the science fair event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 1: Firefighter Justin McReynolds of the Hayward Fire Department drops an egg inside a recyclable plastic bottle filled with pillow stuff with a parachute attached during an egg drop 60 feet from an engine ladder as part of Science in the Park fairgrounds at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The egg, from Hayward participant Autumn Bernal, 6, survived the fall. Educational activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics were part of the science fair event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 1: Edward Bernal, left, is all smiles after his kid Autumn Bernal, 6, gave her a high-five with an egg that survived the 60-foot egg drop from the Hayward Fire Department’s engine ladder with the age of Science. in the Park fair at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The egg was inside a recyclable plastic bottle filled with pillow stuff and a parachute attached to it. Educational activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics were part of the science fair event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 1: Ajeet Cheema, 5, of Union City, enjoys the bounce house during the Science in the Park fair at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The science fair Educational activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics were part of the event. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 1: Children play in inflatable jumpers as parents wait outside during the Science in the Park fair at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. The science fair event was educational activities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics involved. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

In recent years, officials have placed more emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math education in schools because U.S. students, especially those of color, lag behind many of their international peers. in “S.T.E.M” curriculum literacy.

Participants in Saturday’s event included volunteers from public and educational nonprofit agencies such as the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland.

Soni Johnson, community development coordinator with the Alameda County Healthy Homes Department, handed out small potted plants for students to grow at home. The goal was to raise awareness about possible lead contamination in the soil in parts of the county where there are many older homes. The students were encouraged to grow the plants in raised beds or put them in pots to avoid contaminated soil.

“They’re very interested in intelligence and the science of everything,” Johnson said.

Anna Dix, an engineer from Castro Valley, brought her 8-year-old son Nico to the fair to encourage interest in learning science.

“Just exploring the different types of science that are out there,” Dix said. “There are so many booths, so many activities to touch and feel and do.”

Advick Malhodra, a 5th grader from Fremont, set up their own “science lab” booth at the fair. He showed off a mini hydraulic crane and a lego rocket launcher that he built himself.

Malhodra said he also likes math and coding and wants to be a computer engineer when she grows up.

His favorite thing about science?

“It’s amazing when you learn things,” Malhodra said. “It’s amazing when you do experiments like volcanoes and fireworks.”

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