On September 11, Illinois Science Explorers hosted the first ever Family STEM Night with the Urbana Park District. The event turned an ordinary evening into a hands-on freshwater adventure at the Anita Purves Nature Center. Families rolled up their sleeves, grabbed nets and buckets, and jumped right into learning about the tiny creatures that live in Crystal Lake Park.
J.D. Graham, outreach and engagement specialist at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), kicked off the program by sharing how persistence and learning from mistakes have shaped his career. His story inspired kids (and adults!) to see science as something you grow into step by step. With that encouragement fresh in mind, families headed to the water to collect benthic macroinvertebrates such as worms, clams, snails, and insects that can tell us a lot about water quality and ecosystem health.
Back at the nature center, young scientists and their families examined their finds with trays, magnifiers, and clipboards, jotting down notes and identifying the creatures in their samples. Nearly every family who joined us was new to I-Sci programming, which made the night especially exciting. The module, designed with NCSA, is one of many I-Sci Explorer activities that can be tailored to suit children across ages K-8.
We’re excited to keep creating moments like this where families discover science together. Visit our program webpage to learn more about Illinois Science Explorers and get involved in creating a module of your own!
The next Urbana Family STEM Nights will be held at Urbana Park District’s Health and Wellness Center from 5:30pm-7pm.