GSW hosts eighth annual Science Day for area high school students

AMERICUS, Ga. (Oct. 7, 2026) — More than 130 area high school students visited Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) on Oct. 2, 2026 for GSW’s eighth annual Science Day, exploring a variety of STEM fields through hands-on experiments and interactive demonstrations.

A total of 137 students and 12 teachers from six high schools participated, including Terrell Academy, Sumter County High School, Furlow Charter School, Southland Academy, Webster County High School, and Chattahoochee County High School.

"GSW annual Science Day gives high school students from neighboring counties an opportunity to explore STEM and STEM-related programs at GSW through interactive demonstrations and hands-on learning," said Nedialka Iordanova, Ph.D. professor of physical chemistry. "The event also allows GSW faculty and students to showcase their knowledge and skills, serving as a valuable student learning experience and recruitment opportunity for our various STEM programs."

Students were divided into small groups for a more personalized experience and guided across campus by GSW students. Faculty and students led the demonstrations in chemistry, biology, computer science, physics, mathematics and exercise science. Activities ranged from interacting with snakes and iguanas to exploring chemical reactions and participating in biology-based demonstrations.

"It was pretty awesome. All the professors were really nice, and they had really fun experiments," said Charlie Oosterveen, a junior at Terrell Academy. He reported that his favorite demonstration was "Hand Blaze," a chemistry experiment led by Assistant Professor of Chemistry Beike Jia, Ph.D., and members of the GSW Chemistry Club in which gas-filled bubbles in soapy water are ignited in students' hands.

Participating disciplines included chemistry, biology, computer science, physics, mathematics and exercise science. The event is designed to engage high school students in the sciences and teach them about the opportunities these disciplines offer for their futures.

"Science Day really broadened my knowledge and allowed me to experience multiple labs in person," said Kynslee Collins, a sophomore from Furlow Charter School. "My favorite part was the liquid nitrogen rocket in the water bottle."

The day's grand finale featured liquid nitrogen demonstrations led by Iordanova at the fountain in Centennial Plaza. Students then closed their morning of learning and scientific discovery with lunch in the GSW dining hall.

For returning schools, Science Day has become an experience students look forward to each year.

"It was amazing—our kids loved it," said Kori Gorton, a science teacher at Webster County High School. "This was our second year [attending], and they want to come back every year. They can't get enough of the experiments and hands-on learning."

Learn more about GSW's Science Day and STEM opportunities at gsw.edu/ScienceDay.