A high-tech mobile science classroom rolled into Rich Pond Elementary School this week, offering students hands-on science experiments with an agriculture twist.

The center, provided by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, features iPads, a 70-inch LED monitor and a touchscreen desktop computer. However, sixth-grader Selma Mehmedovic was most drawn to the opportunity to make a bouncy ball out of biodegradable plastic.

“I love science,” she said Thursday, adding that she likes how scientists are always trying to illuminate the universe’s mysteries. “I think that’s cool.”

Jason Hodge, a Mobile Science Activity Center program coordinator with the Department of Agriculture, walked students through creating bouncy balls using corn starch, food coloring and water, among other ingredients. He works out of one of three mobile centers that travel throughout the state.

“We want to try to educate the kids on the agriculture, but also incorporate the science as well,” he said.

Too many students are separated from where their food comes from, Hodge said, adding that the centers provide a low-cost field trip alternative for schools.

Linda Dickerson, a volunteer and local farmer of corn and soybeans, said she wanted to help students learn about the importance of the state’s agriculture industry.

“I want them to see the value of renewable resources, especially the ones that are grown in their community,” she said.

Dickerson said the state’s agriculture industry generated about $1.4 billion in revenue last year and that 80 percent of all manufacturing companies get their raw material from agriculture.

With elementary-age kids thinking about what career to pursue, Dickerson said she hoped they’d see the range of opportunities agriculture offers beyond just farming.

Sixth-grader Robert Unseld III enjoyed the hands-on experience the center offered. He also appreciates farmers who provide fresh vegetables for his family, he said.

“They’re helping me and my family,” he said.