Students at Jerling Junior High gathered around a live sloth, watched a bat spread its wings, and got hands-on with slime, circuits — and a 250-pound dinosaur skull named Norman.
It was Jerling’s version of “Night at the Museum,” a school-wide event that turned the gymnasium into interactive exhibits on March 12. The evening featured 3D doodle pens, fossil donations, student-led science demos and enough creative chaos to impress any paleontologist or animal lover.
“We had so many different things to do, like paper circuits and fossil donations,” said NJHS President Ainslee Beaty. “It was really cool.”
The event was the brainchild of the school’s Improvement Team, but it was students, teachers, and community members who brought it to life.
“When the diverse talents of our team collaborate, we don’t just plan an event — we curate an experience,” said Assistant Principal Lindsay Fredin. “Our staff, students and community members weaved together threads of creativity and dedication to transform a simple evening into a memory.”
The biggest draw? A live sloth, followed closely by a bat students could touch and a large bird they were allowed to hold.
But the heaviest lift — literally — was getting Norman the dinosaur skull into the building.
School librarian Ms. Poniatowski made it happen.
“He’s clearly not going to fit in a normal car or van,” she said. “So, Lindsay Fredin and I went downtown on Saturday and packed up a U-Haul with Norman and all the other supplies.”
Getting him inside was a second challenge.
“The wheels on the ramp are exactly 24 inches apart, and the U-Haul ramp was 25 inches wide — not a lot of wiggle room,” she said. “He’s also about 250 pounds. But it was worth it.”
From slime to skulls, Jerling’s Night at the Museum proved that learning doesn’t have to end when the bell rings.