HANDS-ON SCIENCE LESSONS.

LANCASTER - More than 250 eighth-graders from 23 local schools learned about physics, chemistry, medicine and other scientific subjects at Antelope Valley College's annual Math and Science Odyssey,

Hosted with the Math, Science, Engineering and Technology Consortium, the event is intended to encourage junior high school youngsters to study math, science and technology.

Youngsters stitched up banana peels, made plaster casts of shoes and did other hands-on activities.

Speakers included SpaceShipOne's lead engineer, Matt Stinemetze of Scaled Composites in Mojave, and NASA Dryden Flight Research Center X-43 chief engineer Laurie Marshall.

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4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) In the Cawabunga Chemistry workshop, Rusty Blanski gives a shuttle propellant demonstration, right. Below, in the Science Sleuths workshop, from left, Nikki Panek, 13, Sandra Jimenez, 13, Ashley Bremer, 14, and Jasmine Mudd-Smith, 14, use powder to make footprints.

(3 -- 4 -- color) In the Pets are People Too workshop, veterinarian Dr. Stephanie Morrow watches as Michelle Pope, 14, left, stitches a banana skin. At right is Emily Schnell, 13. Right, in the same workshop, Megan Franken, 12, gives a shot to an orange.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer