HCS-sponsored 3rd Annual STEM Exploration Community Event a resounding success

The torrential rain did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the more than 638 attendees at the epic 3rd Annual STEM Exploration Community Event held on Saturday, October 14 at the Brooks Crossing Innovation & Opportunity Center in Newport News. Along with Brooks Crossing, Coastal Virginia STEM Hub, the National Institute of Aerospace, the city of Newport News, Virtual Science Teachers, and Old Dominion University, Hampton City Schools has been a founding sponsor of this free STEM event.  

Over 700 people from Richmond to Northern Virginia to the Eastern Shore attended the regional event. Over 257 youth and their families from Hampton City Schools (more than from any other school division) took advantage of the opportunity to participate in hands-on experiences with 47 different STEM exhibitors and hear from inspirational speakers such as Bethel High School graduate Jamal Davis, NASA legends Michelle Ferebee and Julie Williams-Byrd, and CEO of Virtual Science Teachers and STEM enthusiast Suzanne Sprague. Unfortunately, due to the weather, families were unable to view the annular solar eclipse that occurred during the event.  However, families will be prepared for the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8 having received solar eclipse goggles and building pinhole projectors with the National Institute of Aerospace’s NASA eClips education team.

Three Academies of Hampton exhibited at the event including Kecoughtan High School’s Governor’s STEM Academy of Architecture, Environment, and Engineering (facilitated by Renita Bostic, Sharnya Smith, and Evan Grummell), Kecoughtan High School’s Academy of Teaching, Education and Learning (facilitated by Margaret Nettles, Sharnya Smith, and Evan Grummell), and Bethel High School’s Transportation, Analytics, Information, and Logistics Academy (facilitated by Alex Minter).