November 19, 2025

Ever wanted to build your own magic wand? That’s what high school students were able to do at our last Teen Science Café event, except the glow they produces wasn’t magic, it was circuits!

Led by Kendra V. Settles, the Controls Engineering Manager for PowerSecure in Durham, participants learned all about the parts of a circuit, and how electricity needs a complete path in order to power all the electronics we use in our daily lives!

After that, we put everything we learned to the test in making “magic wands” that lit up out of popsicle sticks, copper tape, an LED, and a coin battery! When pressure was applied and the circuit was closed, the wands lit up!

“I really like science, because I like how it teaches you different things,” shared Joel, one of the event’s participants. “It teaches you what’s out there, and about things you may not know about.”

“I like seeing different perspectives, different science paths,” another participant told us. “I think it’s always good to keep an open mind about what jobs are out there, what career paths, and what you can learn.”

Are you interested in learning more about STEM career paths from local STEM professionals? Join us for a future Teen Science Café!