Back to School – An American Story of Science in the Classroom
As Fall approaches, and kids head back to school, I recall many memories of grammar school as I suspect we all do. Did your 2nd-grade class collect butterflies or rocks? Once you made it to middle school, were you the star of the science fair? And in high school, perhaps you showed your scientific expertise with a solar energy experiment. I know I was engaged in all these activities but never gave any thought to how the materials that sparked our imagination were selected or provided. There is a market segment of distributors that specifically serves education, specializing in school science supplies. One such distributor is Carolina Biological Supply Company, located in Burlington, North Carolina.
Carolina Biological was founded in 1927 and is still a family-owned business. While visiting recently, I talked with them about the many products they offer. Science educations starts with the basics that require simple tools. It soon develops into the examination of plant and animal materials, and on to experimentation on the world around us, requiring chemicals, microscopes, and other lab instruments. Finally, science education helps students explore the entire universe with the use of telescopes. Carolina’s 450 employees are committed to education – always actively looking for the best methods to bring science to the classroom for students in K-12 and beyond.
Puritan's Single-use Products used in Science Fair Projects
The science education of our children and young adults now includes environmental studies, forensics, energy generation, and telecommunications – so much more than it did 50 years ago! With Carolina and others providing materials and inspiration, these subjects can be brought to life in the classroom. Teaching concepts without tangible engagement can only go so far, so the incorporation of exciting materials facilitates a better learning environment. Hands on “everything” for the youngest preschooler to the college senior, transforms static lessons from the page and turns them into dynamic experiences that lead the student to greater understanding through investigation. This requires materials like plant, animal, and inorganic substances, as well as laboratory equipment and supplies. Puritan’s single use products are offered individually or as components of Carolina’s educational kits. These kits teach concepts such as Human Senses or Environmental Science and are frequently used for science fair projects.
Taking Pride in Serving the Education Market
When asked about how Carolina views their place in the important industry they serve, their reply was this: “We take pride in our product offerings to the education market, and part of that comes from working with vendors that supply us with quality components. Puritan is also a family-owned business, and we are pleased to have a working relationship with another company that holds on to core values of quality and customer service.” We take pride in working with partners like Carolina Biological to help serve customers worldwide in the health and science-related fields.
Carolina is not alone in the realm of educational materials distribution. But as they have noted, Carolina and Puritan share a customer-centric family culture of similar size and heritage. As science takes us deeper into the universe of microbes and further into space, and as new technologies emerge, Puritan will be there to develop the necessary application-specific specimen collection devices, and Carolina will be there to bring new tools of discovery to the classroom.
By: Elaine Seavey Maliff
Director of Sales - South Region
Puritan Medical Products Co.
