More than 100 hands-on, interactive STEM exhibits will be available to members of the public on March 11 at St. Clair County Community College. The event is put on through the school, Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers, the Leslie Science and Nature Center, and the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum.
STEM enthusiasts of all ages have the opportunity to participate in over 100 hands-on interactive STEM exhibits and activities put on by St. Clair County Community College (or SC4), the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum, the Leslie Science and Nature Center, and Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers at the SC4’s STEM Fest, taking place March 11.
The March 11 event will happen between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at St. Clair County Community College’s Port Huron Campus. Thanks to various grants and donations, it is free and open to the public.
The activities and experiences will be spread throughout SC4’s Clara E. Mackenzie Building/Experience Center and Fieldhouse, including the Challenger Learning Center and the Dr. Bassam H. Nasr Natural Science Museum. Activities include mineral and bird galleries, exploration stations, health activities, virtual reality experiences, a live sturgeon exhibit, and more.
In an article from Voice News, SC4 Chief Marketing Officer Kristin Copenhaver talked about the range of experiences available at the event, saying, “Some of the many exhibits and experiences will include virtual reality experiences, robotics technology, virtual anatomy dissection, live animal and wildlife exhibit, rocket launches, liquid nitrogen experiments, Challenger Learning Center mini-missions and much more.”
Copenhaver also mentioned how St. Clair County Community College was granted $955,000 for its Challenger Learning Center and Experience Center, which allowed the school to expand its mission programming with Operation Comet.
“SC4 STEM Fest will feature sneak peek mini-missions. A full mission experience involves one group of about 18 to 34 guests and takes about 2.5 hours. For our STEM Fest event, we’re providing guests with a preview experience. Our full missions are available for booking anytime outside of STEM Fest,” she said.
Copenhaver also said that guests are welcome to stay for the entire event, or come and go as they please.
SC4’s President Dr. Deborah A. Snyder also noted, “We want to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators in STEM so that they can help solve challenges and have greater career opportunities. We’re proud to collaborate with Michigan Tech’s Mind Trekkers, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and the Leslie Science and Nature Center to bring this incredible event to southeast Michigan. It will have a positive impact on our region, now and in the future.”
Mind Trekkers is a flagship program through Michigan Technological University’s Center for Educational Outreach. Undergraduate and graduate student guides power the events as Mind Trekkers travels around the country providing high energy and hands-on STEM demonstrations to people of all ages with the goal of inspiring everyone to partake in post secondary education.
Cassy Teff de Muñoz, who serves as the executive director of enrollment initiatives at Michigan Technological University, talked about the event at SC4, saying, “Mind Trekkers convenes communities in a shared mission to spark curiosity. We are thrilled to partner with SC4 to bring the program to Port Huron and amplify the strong STEM ecosystem already present in the region. The SC4 STEM Fest is just one way that SC4 and Michigan Tech are working together to create educational opportunities for youth to access future college and career pathways.”
The Chief Operating Officer for the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum and Leslie Science and Nature Center, Susan Westhoff, talked about how the event will inspire those participating in it, saying, “We know the power of hands-on learning to inspire and open the door of possibility for everyone, young and old alike. Every one of us is a scientist, because we all hold the power of curiosity, of wanting to understand ‘why’ and ‘how.’ Come out to this fantastic day of exploration, where you are encouraged to ask, to discover, and to have fun.”
Copenhaver also noted that under the leadership of the SC4 Board of Trustees and Snyder, the school has been able to provide a wide variety of access to STEM activities for a while.
“We launched the Experience Center in 2018 and since then have been welcoming many guests for hands-on activities and experiences that ignite a passion for STEM learning and show learners what’s possible. In April 2022, we added to our offerings by launching the only Challenger Learning Center in Michigan at SC4. Since its launch, we have welcomed more than 2,500 students, educators, administrators, community members, employers and employees, friends and many more from more than about 100 zip codes throughout Michigan, the U.S. and Canada. We’ve had many learners in our own county, and we continue to welcome more from southeast Michigan and beyond,” she said.
Copenhaver and organizers of the event are expecting a substantial crowd. The current SC4 STEM Fest attendee registrations contain people from over 80 zip codes in Michigan and Canada.
“We want to provide a high-quality, fun, unique and engaging event that instills passion for and brings awareness to a wide variety of STEM topics and careers. We need future leaders and innovators in STEM, and events and opportunities like SC4 STEM Fest can help illustrate career paths and possibilities,” Copenhaver said.
More information about the St. Clair County Community College STEM Fest can be found on the event page.
More information about the other offerings of St. Clair County Community College can be found at the school’s website.