Event hosted by South Valley Science and Engineering Initiative

By Staff Reports

South Valley families can spark their children’s interest in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics at the inaugural South Valley Explore STEAM Fair.

The free event will be held from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4  at the Morgan Hill Community Center.

Susan Hines, director of the South Valley Science and Engineering Fair, describes the event as “a hands-on, minds-on family-friendly activity” designed for children from pre-K to 12th grade. The fair will feature 14 different activities, showcasing the interconnectedness of STEAM disciplines.

“We’re trying to show kids they (STEAM) all interconnect and they’re all fun,” Hines said. “They’re a great pathway to something you might consider a career or something you just want to be familiar with in our technologically advanced society.”

A diverse group of volunteers, including nonprofits, artists, teachers, technologists, and community members, will guide children through various activities. Highlights include:

  • “Kinetic toys” led by a local artist
  • Two-dimensional and three-dimensional art projects and collages
  • Quilt square creation, demonstrating the math involved in quilting
  • Introductory robotics with Cubelets and Legos for little ones
  • Water quality experiments
  • Coding, robots, and paper stomp rockets for elementary school children
  • Reverse engineering activities

The event is hosted by the South Valley Science and Engineering Initiative, a nonprofit under the Morgan Hill Community Foundation. Hines, a former research scientist specializing in chemistry, emphasizes the importance of using creative thinking in scientific problem-solving.

“Thinking out of the box is a really necessary skill, and this is an event where kids are encouraged to let their imagination run free, with proper supervision, of course,” Hines said.

The fair aims to be inclusive and accessible to all families. “I want to make a difference for all kids, not just the privileged kids, but really try to engage all our kids by providing a safe, free, inclusive public event,” Hines said.

Organizers hope the event will encourage children to participate in future science fairs hosted by their schools. Hines invites families to come by and drop in.

“We’re looking to have a good time and show that STEAM is for everybody.”