The First Ever Physics Fiesta in Chicago: APS Members Reach Out with Science Events at a Local High School

The APS March meeting is one of the largest gathering  of physicists, and yet we often pass through the host city like a neutrino, leaving little to no impact on science and the budding potential scientists in the city. The March  2022 meeting, with approximately 10,000 physicists descending on Chicago, provides an ideal opportunity  for a science-based outreach event.  A band of diverse physicists , organized by DCMP and FOEP have planned such an event on the evening of Friday, March 18th 2022 starting at 5 pm at the Solorio Academy High School in Chicago (https://www.solorioacademy.org/).  Solorio is a highly ranked, STEM focused public school with a majority minority population. The event will include an array of scientists from the meeting and the metropolitan Chicago area that reflect the diversity of the school.  They will discuss their current job and the varied educational and employment   paths in their STEM careers. Other events include: theatrical Star Wars themed physics demonstrations by the Physics Van from Urbana, STEM inspired dances by the school's Ballet Folklorico, the famous Professor Lyrical rapping about science with  the students, the Latin Jazz band, a variety of Physics hands-on minds-on activity booths and time allocated for casual opportunities for students to talk with physicists.  This Physics Fiesta is designed to be an informal, fun-filled science event, with high school students (and their families).  Our goal is twofold: to create the possibility of new and long-lasting connections between this school and APS and to inspires a commitment by APS to establish outreach events at future  meetings.