On Saturday, April 11, the UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center will hold Spring into STEAM, an event featuring spring-themed games and activities for students and families that promote science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).
The event, which takes place from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., includes free parking, admission, snacks and drinks. The UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center is located at 755 Mocs Alumni Drive.
Spring into STEAM is the center’s first spring event, joining its annual fall STEAMagination Festival.
Rob Lein, exploration specialist at the UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center, hopes students of all ages come and see what the center has organized.
“It’s just so fun to engage the community, to bring them all here,” Lein said. “Some people can’t make it during the fall sports season and some people are really busy, so having the spring event gives people another option to come.
“We received a lot of good feedback from the people who came in the fall—from our partners, the visitors and the families—and they asked if we could do this again.”
Spring into Steam is made possible through the help of multiple community partners on and off campus, including Tennessee Valley Authority, UTC Rocket Mocs, UTC Department of Chemistry and Physics, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, the Clarence T. Jones Observatory, the Arts-Based Collaborative, ArtsBuild and the Chattanooga Fire Department.
Lein, a former teacher, explained the importance of engaging younger learners in environments outside the classroom. Among the highlights, he said, students and families will be able to explore the center’s space simulations, create energy by riding a TVA bike and conduct experiments with dry ice.
“The cool thing about these STEAM events is that they’re just parties that anybody can engage in,” he said. “Activities like shooting a rocket or pretending you’re an astronaut appeal to all generations. When imagination is involved, it really gets people of all ages excited.
“This is a special place of connection between us, the community, the University, the schools and all these people,” Lein said. “Having the opportunity to bring them in and to do fun stuff, it was just too good to pass up.”