Congratulations to Kurt Graper — Exhibitor Raffle Winner at Celebrate Science Indiana!

We’re happy to announce that Kurt Graper, a volunteer exhibitor at the Space Weather – Aurora
Science booth, was the lucky winner of this year’s Celebrate Science Indiana exhibitor raffle!
The raffle was open to all exhibitors who completed our post-event survey. Kurt received four
tickets to the Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans game at Lucas Oil Stadium, generously
donated by The Heritage Group, one of the proud sponsors of Celebrate Science Indiana.
Kurt worked alongside his good friend, Larry Sernyk — a highly respected agricultural scientist
and longtime STEM advocate and Gold Sponsor — inviting attendees to explore the wonders of
space weather and its impact on earth. Visitors of all ages learned how solar storms create
dazzling auroras and could participate in the hands-on activity by crafting their own aurora art
using black paper and chalk. The booth sparked curiosity and deep conversations, including one
memorable moment Kurt shared:

“I was pleasantly surprised that a high school student visiting the Space Weather – Aurora
Science booth knew as much or more about the cause of the auroras as did Larry and me. It
made me feel that the Celebrate Science Indiana events are well worth the effort.”
As part of his raffle prize, Kurt attended the Colts-Titans game on Sunday, October 25 at 1:00
PM, seated in Section 136 — prime viewing territory! The game delivered plenty of excitement,
with standout plays and roaring crowd energy that made for an unforgettable afternoon. Jonathan
Taylor led the Colts' offense with three total touchdowns, including an 80-yard rushing score.
With the win, the Colts improved their record to 7–1 and swept the season series against the
Titans. Kurt reflected on the experience with gratitude and joy:
“Tickets to a Colts game was also a pleasant surprise, and as you can see on the faces in the
picture, the viewing of the game from exceptional seats was an unexpected delight.”

We’re so grateful to The Heritage Group for their generous donation and to all of our additional
sponsors and exhibitors who make Celebrate Science Indiana a vibrant, inspiring experience for
thousands of attendees.

Mark your calendars! Next year’s Celebrate Science Indiana will be held on October 10th at the
Indiana State Fairgrounds. We can’t wait to welcome back our incredible exhibitors — the
heartbeat of this event — and continue celebrating science, curiosity, and community.