Board Members Go Back To School

On February 10, 2026, SF board members, Bill and Nancy Halsema, Benny Ko and Bob Yee, and spouses Vicky Ko and Linda Yee attended a presentation of the Center for the Performing Arts' The Science of Light and Sound at the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel.

About two hundred 4th graders from public, private and home schools in central Indiana arrived by bus and car for the more than hour long program. The presentation in the main venue used the Palladium's state-of-the-art technology to demonstrate the principles of light and sound.

The Palladium presentations are coordinated with the students' school curriculum. They review and demonstrate the knowledge gained in the classroom and laboratory. The eight presentations during the 2025-2026 school year will reach over 1,600 students.

Principal Sound and Lighting Technicians, "Doctor" Rob and "Doctor" Brian, demonstrated additive color mixing in the Palladium's main venue - courtesy of Center for the Performing Arts

These were some of the facts, principles and questions that the "Doctors" asked the students about. Lots of students' hands shot up with the correct answers. How would you do?

1. What are longer, the wavelengths of light that humans can see or the wavelengths that they can hear?
2. How do two paper cups attached by a long string transmit voices?
3. How can an elephant "hear" another elephant walking six miles away?
4. If an alien invader's space ship blows up in outer space, can you see the flashes of light? Can you hear the explosion?
5. What is additive color mixing? What is subtractive color mixing?
6. How do microphones work?

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