Want a fun way to bring families from the community together AND have all the planning and resources already prepared for you?
What is Community Science Night?
Have you been looking for a way to bring families and/or the general community together onto your campus but don’t have the time for planning or resources to make it happen? BioNetwork has the program for you!
Community Science Night (CSN) is an event designed to engage STEM enthusiasts of all ages through inquiry-based hands-on activities. We have done all the legwork developing activities and will also provide ALL necessary materials (equipment and consumables) as well as training. All your organization will need to provide is the space and a few volunteers!
Why should my college host this event?
The creation of a robust K-12 STEM pipeline has been widely identified as critical to economic development in North Carolina. With over 700 bioscience and 2000 service provider companies, our future success depends on a constant supply of trained, skilled, and highly capable talent. Building a sustainable pipeline requires collaboration among industry, educators, and families, which is where Community Science Night comes in…
By hosting a CSN event you are effectively showcasing the “community” in community college, positioning the college as a focal point within the community, and building relationships with the public as a whole. When partnered with an open house or registration event, CSN generates an excellent chance to increase the visibility of your programs while fostering community STEM engagement.
- Children will be engaged in activities intentionally designed to reinforce employability skills while piquing their interest in STEM topics.
- Young adults will have the opportunity to experience the college campus and learn about programs, including the Career and College Promise.
- Adults will be able to connect with college faculty/staff in an unstructured, low-pressure environment. This increases the comfort level of non-traditional and first-generation students and facilitates the development of a rapport with community members who may otherwise feel too intimidated to step foot onto campus.
How is the event run?
This event is designed to be run as stations, which can be tables in a great room (i.e. a gymnasium or cafeteria) or in adjacent classrooms within a school setting. The participants freely move to each station to participate in a different STEM focused activity. At each station, the participants are provided with all of the materials and simple instructions to perform the activity as well as a volunteer from the hosting organization to provide assistance and answer questions as needed.
What activities are available?
Our Community Science Night is fully customizable in that we have MANY activities for your group to choose from making your Family Science Night as big or small as needed!
Contact Us
STEM Outreach
Our outreach programs include classroom visits, faculty training workshops, and career fairs that help connect bioscience industry skills with K12 and community college STEM education. Contact us for more information.
Courtney Behrle, Senior Director of STEM Outreach
252-493-7299
Community Science Night provides an awesome opportunity for the college to engage K-12 students and their families in FUN, hands-on science experiments that promote questions, wonder, thought, and learning. There's something for everyone!