Museum of Aviation to host STEM City Expo this weekend

WARNER ROBINS — The Museum of Aviation and National STEM Academy is hosting their annual STEM City Expo on Saturday, August 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Century of Flight Hangar.

This drop-in, family-friendly and free event is open to everyone. The museum urges K-12 students, educators, homeschoolers and anyone who may be interested in learning more about STEM to attend. 

“We want them to come and explore more than 20 interactive exhibits,” Marketing and Communications Coordinator Lacy Meador said. “Participants can code robots, launch rockets, build circuits or anything that would spark curiosity in all areas of STEM.” 

According to Meador, 20 organizations across Middle Georgia will be in attendance. She said the museum, overall, prides itself on community engagement. 

“[Community engagement] means so much to us because we want to support each other, especially when it comes down to growing individuals within our community,” she said. “By partnering with these organizations, we’re doing nothing but helping make that muscle stronger, so to speak.” 

Some organizations in attendance, other than the museum’s National STEM Academy, include: Middle Georgia STEM Alliance, Pink STEM and Georgia Power. 

“All 20 organizations are very important in their own way,” she said. 

Meador pointed out that over time, the STEM City Expo has gotten more support each year, mainly because the event is free and open to the public. 

“[STEM City Expo] garners more support through visitation each year because of word of mouth as the years go on,” she said. “We have people that come back every year because they look forward to this, especially for the fact that it’s free, open to the public and it’s all  hands-on experimentations and activities. It’s just a really fun day.” 

Meador said the STEM City Expo is a chance for these STEM organizations to all be under one roof while fostering collaboration and community, while highlighting all the STEM resources. 

“Ultimately, these areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics that are pouring into students at a young age and all the way up through high school and beyond, is so important,” she said. “These people are our future generation, and we want to equip them the best way we possibly can to give them a successful start to their future career.” 

Along with the STEM City Expo, Georgia Public Broadcasting and PBS Kids are partnering with the Museum of Aviation to preview an episode of their new show, Weather Hunters, which will be released in September. The episode, “A Windy Day,” will be shown at the Eagle Building in the Scott Auditorium at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. 

To learn more about the STEM City Expo, visit museumofaviation.org/moaevents/stem-city-expo/