A kestrel bird, desert tortoise and gopher snake from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum kept kids excited, squirmy and interested at the Science City program Nov. 15 at the Safford City Library. Julie Strom, an education specialist from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, led a presentation and craft on desert life. Children ages kindergarten through second grade learned why cacti survive better in desert Arizona than trees do, and about the life cycle of a saguaro cactus.

Using puppets, Strom taught the children about the many uses of a saguaro cactus. She said tortoises eat the cactus seeds and spread them with their waste. Birds carve holes in the cacti and live in them, and then when the dead cacti fall to the ground, snakes find food and shelter in them.

The children could touch the tortoise and snake if they wanted to.

Julie Strom, an education specialist from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, leads a presentation and craft at the Science City program Nov. 15 at the Safford City Library. Photo by Keri Lunt

A craft that allowed the children to bring to life what they learned followed the presentation. Cardboard cylinders with holes carved in them were painted green to make cacti, and birds were made out of paper, with popsicle sticks to poke through the bottom.

After the craft, children were given a cactus seed and their own “greenhouse” made of two small green plastic cups. Strom included paper instructions and told the children how to grow their own cactus.

Children were invited to stay after the program for the Science City Rockin’ Science Contest awards program. The contest was open to all children in Graham County to enter an art project or paper on the theme “What can rocks and minerals do for you?”

First-place winner was Kieva Foutz; second place, Gavin McCabe and third place were Ziphora and Rebecca Meyers. The constructioneer award was given to Logan Palmer; the blooming scientist award to Zakary Foutz and the rockstar award to Judy Bowman.

The contest was judged by scientists from the community and geologists and scientists from Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold.

“It’s fun to see kids cheer for science,” said Leanne McElroy, a Science City coordinator.