Some people know Star Wars; some people like Star Wars; some people love Star Wars. The STOMP Troopers of New Orleans, Louisiana, represent all three groups. But Star Wars, Mardi Gras, and autism bring them together for a common goal. In 2019, 20 kids and young adults on the autism spectrum worked alongside mentors, creating stormtrooper-inspired costumes. The STOMP Troopers showed off their creations when the group marched in science fiction–themed Mardi Gras parade. They also made Star Wars doubloons. During Mardi Gras, doubloons are small party favors that marchers throw to the crowd.
Working Together
The STOMP Troopers attend an after-school program for students on the autism spectrum. It’s run by Kate Lacour, an art therapist at the nonprofit organization NOLArts Learning Center in New Orleans. Lacour has developed the project in collaboration with jazz center Preservation Hall and Tulane University. Preservation Hall brings the music: a music therapist works with the kids and a crew of professional musicians accompany the Troopers on the parade route. The excitement of live jazz adds another level of fun to the parade experience.
The musicians also hold the group’s place in line before the event starts. Many of the participating kids have sensory-processing challenges—and the line can get noisy or chaotic. Having placeholders avoids that stress, letting the group save their energy and excitement for the parade itself.
Denne historien er fra November/December 2019-utgaven av Muse Science Magazine for Kids.
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Denne historien er fra November/December 2019-utgaven av Muse Science Magazine for Kids.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Who's Your Cousin?
The great apes are among the most popular animals in most zoos. Their actions, facial expressions, and family life remind us so much of ourselves. Have you ever wondered, though, how we might look to them?
Is it possible to die of boredom?
To figure out if we can die of boredom, we first have to understand what boredom is. For help, we called James Danckert, a psychologist who studies boredom at the University of Waterloo in Canada.
THE PROBLEM WITH PALM OIL
Palm oil is all around you. It’s in sugary snacks like cookies and candy bars. It’s in lipstick and shampoo and pet food.
SERGE WICH
Serge Wich’s favorite days at work are spent out in the forest, studying orangutans in Sumatra and Borneo or chimpanzees in Tanzania.
ELODIE FREYMANN
When you’re feeling sick, it probably doesn’t occur to you to try eating tree bark.
Guardians of the Forest
EARLY, MAKESHIFT WILDLIFE DRONES HELPED TO DETECT AND PROTECT ORANGUTANS.
APE ANTICS
The Whirling World of primate play
Dr. Ape Will See You Now
HUMANS AREN’T THE ONLY PRIMATES THAT USE MEDICATION.
THE LEFT OVERS
A lot has happened for modern humans to get to this point. We lost most of our hair, learned how to make tools, established civilizations, sent a person to the Moon, and invented artificial intelligence. Whew! With all of these changes, our bodies have changed, too. It’s only taken us about six million years.
SO, WHAT IS A PRIMATE?
What do you have in common with the aye-aye, sifaka, siamang, and potto? If you said your collarbone, you re probably a primatologist—a person who studies primates. If you’re not, read on.
