Spring 2006

Plastic well slides in Carolina’s Microworlds kit (left) provide a safe, reliable way for young students to view objects microscopically. Another supplier uses glass slides (right), which not only pose a safety hazard if they break, but arrived in the kit already broken.

"Parts is Parts"?
Years ago a poultry company launched an advertising campaign that used the phrase "parts is parts." The focus of the ads? Though chicken parts from different producers may look the same when wrapped in plastic and displayed on a grocer’s shelf, where the chicken came from (in other words, the brand) made a difference in its quality and flavor.

This basic idea—that the source makes a difference—is true today in the educational supply arena. Lower-priced "STC" materials from another vendor may at first glance seem comparable in quality to authentic STC® and STC/MS™ kits and components. However, Carolina is the only company that distributes STC PROGRAM™ science kit materials that have been reviewed and approved by the National Science Resources Center, the curriculum’s developer. Kit materials bought from other sources may work less effectively in a unit, prove less durable through repeated usage, or even pose a safety risk to students.

Though the opportunity to save money can be quite attractive, be cautious about offers for discounts on so-called STC kits and materials from other suppliers. All hands-on science materials are not the same. The best source of quality STC® and STC/MS™ kits and components is Carolina Biological Supply Company.