K. William Harvey Elementary School in Ronan was filled after hours with excited children last week.

Between 5-7 p.m. on March 8, students, families and staff took part in what second grade teacher and organizer Alicia Hakes called “Family science and math night,” to which all ages were invited.

Several hands-on science activities were located in the school’s gymnasium.

The family education night has been a tradition for nine years now at the school, Carey Swanberg, a retired teacher who organized the event said.

Teachers from each grade led math stations, along with an informative station explaining to parents what their children are learning in math.

“Math terms change so much,” Hakes said.

Swanberg explained that a group of teachers was involved with Big Sky Science Partnership, which focused on community involvement.

“Our teachers involved with BSSP, we chose family science night” as their community involvement project.

For the inaugural event, Swanberg said Spectrum Discovery “set up shop” in Ronan, filling up the gym with physics lessons.

The group of teachers decided they could put a family science night together, with which the Salish Kootenai College and other local resources were involved.

“One of the things we’ve always asked (the science night partners) is, please don’t bring” items that children normally would not be allowed to touch.

“Hands-on science” is a focal point of the event, Swanberg said, and showing children and their families science through the hands-on experience is the meaning behind it.

A science instructor at SKC, explained that students at the college have worked to put a satellite up in space, while two brothers anxiously listened, holding little satellite displays in their hands.

“I just like how you can study lots of different things, like space and plants and animals,” Sadler McCollum, a fourth-grade student at K. William Harvey, said.

At his side was his brother, Brander, a first grader.

The family science and math night is funded by the PTA, with volunteers helping to put the night together.