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The Fortuna High School science club, the SLAC-kers, visited their namesake, the SLAC National Accelerator last weekend. SLAC National Accelerator is located nearby the Stanford University campus and houses a two mile long linear accelerator. The accelerator uses subatomic particles to explore the structure of organic molecules and to record images of chemical reactions taking place.

The 15 student members raised money through an e-waste recycling event to travel to the Bay Area and visit both SLAC and the CA Academy of Sciences museum. Students stayed at the Hostelling International City Center Hostel in San Francisco.

photos by Pamela Halstead

1. SLAC student members stand in the linear accelerator tunnel and listen to one of the accelerator operators explain the fundamentals of particle physics.

2. SLAC student members pose in front of the Academy of Sciences museum's T-rex before experiencing the fascinating museum features. Students loved the planetarium, rain forest simulation, and Steinhart aquarium.