School is back in session, and that means science projects are underway. Already in my house there has been excitement over the various states of water. And as the information trickles home and what has been learned is demonstrated and relayed and put to use and tested again and again, I can't count how many times I have found a cup of water left in the freezer as an experiment. Similarly, several days in a row, a cup of water was left bedside to see if bubbles formed on the surface overnight. When there were no bubbles, I heard, "My experiment didn't work, but that's okay." Add to that a newfound awareness of solid shapes, the parts of trees, and a wealth of knowledge about hedgehogs, and it's been a very full first month of kindergarten.

With science projects and science fairs already taking shape in classrooms, Science Buddies is in the process of scheduling volunteers to answer questions in our Ask an Expert forums.

The Science Buddies Ask an Expert forums offer personalized help to K-12 students (and their parents) with questions about science fair projects. From fielding questions about formulating hypotheses to helping with the identification of variables to troubleshooting an experimental procedure, our team of Experts helps make science projects less frustrating and more rewarding. With each student we help at Ask an Expert, we hope we are fostering enthusiasm for science and increasing science literacy.

Volunteers at Ask an Expert include both Experts working in scientific fields, teachers, and advanced high school science students interested in performing community service by helping other students with their science fair questions and projects.

To find out more about volunteering with Science Buddies, please visit: www.sciencebuddies.org/volunteer. If you are a teacher and would like information you can distribute to your students, please let us know.