Serendipity, an award-winning program organized by Salem Upper Elementary, is celebrating 30 years in 2017. The theme is Circus as the “big top” is raised Thursday.
Serendipity, the gift of finding value in things not sought for, allows each student to attend activity sessions of their choice. The event is a time for children to learn trades, crafts, skills, and other valuable lessons in a fun environment from professionals and enthusiasts. Students choose three, 50-minute sessions to attend.
Now-retired teachers Becky Mitchell and Ann Rouse began Serendipity in 1988. Current principal, Melanie Wisdom, joined the team in 2000. The program won the Success Link Award in 1999.
A hospitality room is sponsored by local businesses and gives presenters a snack and drink between sessions.
The long-awaited event, held annually in May, will be without a familiar face. Dr. Oran Allan Pringle, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of physics at Missouri S&T, passed away March 24 after a short battle with cancer. Dr. Pringle was a sought-after Serendipity presenter each year for his liquid nitrogen session using balloons, cookies, and a variety of other objects.
“I see the same reactions every year from students…excitement,” said Pringle in a 2016 interview at Serendipity.
A person would be hard-pressed to find a student who participated in Dr. Pringle’s Serendipity session that doesn’t remember the laughter and enthusiasm he showed year after year as a presenter.
Dr. Pringle joined the MS&T faculty as an assistant professor of physics in 1985, being named associate professor in 1991 and professor in 1998. He was named Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor in 2005. Dr. Pringle retired on March 1. His research specialty was neutron-diffraction studies of magnetic materials. Dr. Pringle taught other educators as well, aiding in improvement of science instruction in schools.
“I had the pleasure of being a student of Dr. Pringle's through Missouri S&T's SEQL program for teachers, and as a colleague through his presentations at Serendipity. His teaching, love of people, and especially his love of science had no age limits,” said teacher Rebecca Schnelle.
“He touched, entertained, and educated everyone he came into contact with. Hundreds of Salem students will always remember him puffing liquid nitrogen out of his nose like a dragon, and making their teachers do the same. His passing is a great loss to the university and the Salem community. How lucky we are to have known Dr. Pringle.”
Melanie Wisdom echoed the same sentiment regarding Dr. Pringle, saying “He always made learning fun for all, whether that was Serendipity or adult teachers who attended his classes.”
Session Name. Description. Presenter
Big Top Cop. Experience a patrolman’s duties. Police dog will be present. Salem Police Department
Ala-Kazam. Juggle with a touch of magic. Rommel Cowan
Ringmaster. Perfect your skills, learn plays, and test them out on the court. SHS Basketball Team
Merry Go Round the Roses. Learn to work with flowers to create your own arrangements. Sheila Hampton
Ballyhoo. Cheer, yell, jump! SHS Cheerleaders
Puppetry. Coon hunting 101. Steve Pryor and Jesse Fowler
Fowl Fun House. Build and paint a birdhouse. Dennis Wylam
Callipoe Fest. Create beautiful music playing a variety of instruments. SHS Band
Mime Craft. Delve into the mysteries of our Earth. Become a mineral sleuth. The Doe Run Co.
Take a Bow. Practice archery and learn about outdoor sports. Faron Teague
Snake Oil. Study nature and learn about the conservation agent’s career. Dave Ingram
Cirque de Sol. Learn hair care and manicure techniques. Create your own up-dos. Studio 573
Cook House. Prepare and taste some yummy snacks. Bonnie Gray
The Pit Show. Learn to perform in a live “junk” band…using unusual instruments. Grace Community Church
Magic Strokes. Draw and paint. Be an artist. Mike Helm
Itchy Feet. Dance, dance, dance! Linda Maledy & Ashlyn Cook
Pantomime Play. Be an actor, be a clown! High School Drama
A Maze-ing Finds. Find your way using GPS handheld systems and discover a cache. David Massengale and Jason Stotler
AcroBats. Play baseball while enjoying the game. SHS Baseball
Gypsy Ace Notes. Create a wallet out of stylish and colorful duct tape. Krystal Sims
To Go Carts. Prepare for a trucker’s journey with a tractor-trailer rig. U. S. Foods
Tiny Tumblers. Interact and play with toddlers. Children present. Jackie Schafer
Peanuts & Cracker Jacks. Eat healthy foods and get the scoop on nutrition. Stephanie Wofford
Bannerline. March and dance with flags. SHS Color Guard
Balancing Act. Mix, blend, and prepare chemical compounds…be a pharmacist. Teel Wisdom
Flame Eater. Learn all about the working parts of a fire truck. Salem Fire Department
Tight Rope Knots. Tie and twist twine to form a macramé hanger. Joan Gray and Jann Craig
Dr. Sirois’s Medicine Show. Dissect and identify the parts of a critter. Drs. Sirois
Juggling Act. Perfect your skills while practicing soccer. Jared Patterson
Repair Cart. Tour an ambulance, take a mini CPR course, and learn first aid. Salem Memorial District Hospital
Fowl Weather. Observe our feathered friends in their surroundings. Binoculars provided. David Plank and Loretta McClure
Critter Alley. Visit an actual petting zoo and learn how to take care of our furry friends. SHS VoAg
Canopy Petals. Create your own soda can flower for your wall or garden. Sally Haines
Fortune Stellar. Study the distance and sizes of things in space. Joe Shuster
At-tent-ion. Train to be a soldier. Rolla ROTC
