Innovation and discovery at the 2nd annual STEAM Fest

By Dan Shinneman

The Institute, once again, partnered with the College’s professors, clubs and students to host its second annual STEAM Fest on Nov. 16.

STEAM Fest 2019 drew over 800 people to the Lake Worth campus. Children and their families explored STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) concepts through playful, engaging hands-on activities.

Activity stations included a fossil collection to touch and explore, a physics contraption for building ball mazes, experimenting with sound and pitch with PVC pipes, launching objects into the air with teeter-totter catapults, and investigating wavelengths of light with neon paints, blacklights and light strings.

The professors and students of the College’s science and math clubs offered children opportunities to hold sheep brains, create sun prints, experiment with DNA, explore force and motion, observe electrical currents, watch a 3D printer in action, and so much more!

The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium brought more than 30 STEAM activities, including robots, engineering activities, virtual reality, and dry ice chemistry experiments. Our other returning partner, Loggerhead Marinelife Center, provided a closer look at microplastics with digital microscopes.

A few new presenters joined us this year, including Scripps Research Institute with DNA experiments, BlueCube Aerospace with presentations on the satellites and rovers, Aerojet Rocketdyne with virtual reality headsets and rocket parts, Amateur Radio and Magic LEAP with augmented reality headsets, and Bee Mindful Yoga with fun, child-centered yoga sessions.

We are grateful to our sponsors, presenters and volunteers who came out to create such an amazing event! We appreciate our support from the Children’s Services Council, the Early Learning Coalition, PNC Bank and Palm Beach State College clubs and programs. We are looking forward to STEAM Fest 2020 and hope you’ll join us then!