SITHOK: Science In The Hands Of Kids

John McConnell was visiting elementary school classrooms to teach science when he came upon a shy third-grade boy who did not want to go to school.

Ryan wanted to stay home and build robots.

That sparked McConnell’s interest, and he discovered Ryan had an intensity for electronics uncommon for his age. The boy already had great building skills and was doing circuit drawings.

The author’s curiosity led him to mentor Ryan—an arrangement that lasted well beyond college and resulted in the winni...