Best in the burbs
Students from East Aurora and West Aurora celebrate with Mayor Weisner
Thanks to 40,000 + votes from Aurora residents and supporters , the City of Lights was deemed the 2013 Best in the Burbs Suburban Madness Champion by the Eric and Kathy Morning Show on – 101.9 FM , The Mix ! The annual competition matches 16 suburbs in a bracket competition to compete for the most text and computer votes . Aurora battled through the rounds and clinched the stop spot from Lemont , IL .
Held at the Paramount Theatre , the Best in the Burbs Trophy presentation brought radio personalities from the top rated Chicago radio show to our city . They were welcomed with a police escort , the East Aurora NJROTC Rifle Team and Drill Team and the West Aurora Band , Cheerleaders , and Dance Team .
Melissa from the Eric & Kathy Morning Show greets the Aurora crowd
SciTech Hands-On Museum :
Aurora ’ s best-kept secret on the river
Where can you go to discover your shadow , investigate the inside of a two-story tornado , launch a hot air balloon and so much more ? Just stroll down West Benton Street past the Aurora Public Library and you will find a rustic brick building sitting on the beautiful Fox River . Originally the home of the City ’ s Post Office that opened in 1931 , it has for the past 25 years housed the SciTech Hands-On Museum .
SciTech was founded in 1987 by Dr . Ernest Malamud , a senior scientist at Fermilab with help from other scientists and engineers from various industries . It was their belief that each generation of scientists has a duty to inspire their successors .
Today , SciTech is a cultural and educational treasure in Aurora , reaching over 75,000 people a year and offering more than 200 hands-on exhibits including a wide variety of educational programs . You can book field trips , birthday parties , overnight adventures , and discover the spectacular outdoor science park ( weather permitting ). Stop in the Discovery Store on your next visit and explore fun and educational science toys .
SciTech offers the only S . T . E . M . ( Science , Technology , Engineering , and Math ) Preschool and Kindergarten housed in a museum . It features monthly science themes including chemistry , biology , geology , and the scientific method . There are weekly library visits , educational computer time , and Zoophonics . The students participate in Spanish and American Sign Language lessons , music and art appreciation , museum time , and other activities . Spaces are limited , so register now for the fall semester .
If you are looking for fun summer activities , don ’ t forget about SciTech ’ s week-long Science Adventure Camps . Youngsters explore topics that include Totally Ballistics , CSI : Crime Scene Investigator , Fun with Chemistry , and Lego Robotics . The camps run from June 24 to August 2 . You can get all the information online and register at www . scitechmuseum . org or call 630-859-3434 x 214 .
If you have not experienced this amazing museum , come join us for “ SciTastic ” fun !
Purchase your rain barrel today !
The 55-gallon plastic containers are designed to be connected to rooftop gutters to collect water , which can then be used to fill watering cans or buckets . Benefits of using a rain barrel to store rain water include :
• Reducing the amount of storm-water runoff and pollutants that are picked up and carried to storm sewers , creeks and the Fox River .
• Conserving water used from underground aquifers .
• Hydrating plants and gardens better because the naturally soft water is devoid of minerals , chlorine , fluoride and other chemicals .
The rain barrels , which come in four different colors of black , gray , blue , or terra cotta , can be purchased by Aurora residents for $ 58.50 (+ tax ) by ordering online at www . upcycleproducts . com and choosing the Aurora order form ; or by calling 630-553-0687 , ext . 302 .
City of Aurora www . aurora-il . org 11