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Igniting Curiosity: The Rise of Educational Programming at Roper Mountain
As Roper Mountain Science Center expanded with new facilities like the Daniel Observatory and Symmes Hall of Science, its educational programming flourished under the leadership of Greg Cornwell. Joining the team in February 1985 from Brookgreen Gardens, where he served as Education Curator, Greg brought a passion for hands-on, immersive learning that would shape the Center’s educational mission for decades to come.
From the beginning, Greg focused on elementary education, recognizing a critical gap: science was not a required subject in many early grades, and students had limited access to quality instruction. His vision centered on providing meaningful, hands-on science experiences—particularly ones that couldn’t be replicated in the classroom. Lessons featured scientific equipment, live animals, and experiments designed to ignite curiosity.
In addition to field trips, Greg established a robust outreach program to bring science directly into schools. One of the most innovative additions was the Starlab, a portable planetarium that allowed students to experience the wonders of the night sky without ever leaving their school building.
Greg’s leadership also launched two major new initiatives: teacher
professional development workshops and Summer Science Camps, both of which extended Roper Mountain’s impact beyond the traditional school year. These programs helped ensure that teachers were equipped with tools to enhance their own classrooms while also offering students rich, out-of-school learning opportunities.
Today, Roper Mountain reaches approximately 150,000 students each year through onsite, virtual, and outreach programming—and another 1,500 students through its Summer Science Camps. The legacy of Cornwell’s early leadership, supported by Director Darrell Harrison, is clearly reflected in Roper Mountain’s ongoing mission to inspire the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world.
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