The millipedes didn’t seem to care about the weather. Inside a cabin at Izaak Walton Preserve, Karen McCray let one crawl across her hand while Annette Pletcher balanced a cockroach on her sleeve and Cindy Wade-Mayo held up a shimmering blue beetle. Margaret Burns-Westmeyer stood nearby, explaining how each insect played a role in keeping the forest alive.
Walk Walton, the annual fundraiser for the Homewood Science Center, went ahead on Sunday, Oct. 19, despite the cool, damp air. Families weaved in through the morning, pulling their hoods back as they stepped into cabins filled with science experiments, insects, and crafts.
“It’s seeing the young people express an interest,” said Greg Busler, secretary of the Science Center’s board. “That’s my favorite part of the event.”
The Master Gardeners from the University of Illinois Extension, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, serving Cook County, have been bringing their bug exhibit for years – McCray for nearly 20, Pletcher for about 10. Most of their insects, they explained, were decomposers.
“They break up decaying plant material,” McCray said. “Their feces are good for the soil, and if they weren’t clearing away dead trees, we wouldn’t have room for new ones to grow.”
Regina Zohfeld, along with other Master Gardeners, explained that these local millipedes help keep the soil from hardening. “Without them,” Burns-Westmeyer added, “the next generation of trees would have a harder time taking root.”
The bugs were gentle, too. “They feel kind of like a toothbrush on your skin,” McCray said. Wade-Mayo pointed out that her blue beetle could play dead, and McCray said most kids start out squeamish.
“They clutch their pearls,” Pletcher said. “Then some walk away, and others stay because they want to learn more.”
Lee Watkins III explains how reflective decals on windows can save birds' lives as Charlotte Fitch looks on. The H-F High students were part of a group raising awareness about bird safety. (Nuha Abdessalam/H-F Chronicle)
Across the room, Homewood-Flossmoor High School students Kanema Johnson and Nazir Rhea guided kids through hands-on science. One experiment used cornstarch and water – solid when struck, liquid when left still. Another used lemon juice and baking soda to inflate a balloon.
“Science is cool,” Johnson said. “You can do so many things you wouldn’t expect, like making a balloon rise with what’s already in your kitchen.”
Rhea said he likes seeing visitors’ reactions as much as running the projects. “It’s fun doing the activities with friends,” he said, “but also seeing the kids get into it.”
The pair also pointed to other stations and displays, one about preventing invasive fish from spreading into local waterways. Releasing a pet fish into ponds can do harm to ecosystems.
Lee Watkins III, Makinley O’Neal and Toniya Brady presented a project on bird safety, showing how reflective decals can prevent window collisions. “We want to bring more recognition to the birds that lose their lives migrating north,” Watkins said. “At our school, we just built a new net-zero science building, and it has reflective logos on the glass to keep birds from hitting it.”
Girl Scout Troop 65572 from Orland Park were seen at the next table where they helped kids make bird crafts – simple paper birds decorated with feathers and markers.
Caitlin McCaffery watched her daughters, Noa, 3, and Amara Robinson, 6, move from table to table without hesitation. The family are regulars at Homewood Science Center events.
“It’s interesting, and it’s nice for the kids to know that insects are valuable. Without them, we wouldn’t be here,” McCaffery said.
When asked if the girls get scared of the insects, she said: “They’re fearless. I’ve learned to act brave in support, even if I’m not.”
