JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Dec. 5, 2017 — The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub, Jacksonville’s Museum of Science & History (MOSH), and Duval County Public Schools will host a hackathon event at MOSH to celebrate Computer Science Education Week.

WHEN: Wednesday, Dec. 6

8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

WHERE: MOSH

1025 Museum Circle

Jacksonville, FL 32207

Students from Atlantic Coast, Andrew Jackson, Fletcher, Mandarin and Sandalwood high schools will work in teams of three to create an app that can help humans in the event that aliens visit or contact Earth.

“Computer Science Education Week is an important opportunity to inspire students’ interest in computer science. Through the Hackathon, we hope to spark a passion in students to pursue the creative process using technology and test their creations so others can use and benefit from them,” said Kathleen Schofield, K-12 program director for the STEM2 Hub.

“Duval County Public Schools’ Career and Technical Education Department is excited to bring this unique opportunity to our students! Computer science is a critical subject of the future, and this Hackathon presents students with the challenge of creating an emergency app that will solve a real life problem through teamwork and tenacity,” said Alexandra Vlachakis, DCPS’ career and technical education director of STEM, IT and computer science.

Three first place winners will each receive a Lenovo laptop donated by Urban Mining PBC, and three second place winners will each receive a membership to MOSH.

“We’re always looking for new ways to boost STEM education and careers in Northeast Florida, which is why we are excited to be a part of today’s Computer Science Education Week’s hackathon. As a way to show our support, Urban Mining will provide each of the three student winners a refurbished Lenovo laptop to help them continue to excel at their STEM education,” stated Steven Kaufman, CEO of Urban Mining.

“We are thrilled to partner with STEM2 Hub and Duval County Public Schools to host the Hackathon here at the Museum. Computer Science Education Week provides a unique experience that encourages curiosity and ignites excitement about computer science for students,” said Maria Hane, President of MOSH.

About the Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub represents an investment initially made by 15 companies headquartered in the region. The mission is to convene, inspire, and invest in the STEM2 field by providing the essential missing elements to accelerate the growth of STEM2 education and careers in the seven North Florida counties of Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns. For a list of the current corporate board members and more information about the STEM2 Hub in Northeast Florida, visit our website at stem2hub.org.

About MOSH

The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) is located at 1025 Museum Circle near Friendship Park. MOSH, first chartered in 1941, inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Thursday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $12.50 for adults; $10 for youth, students, active and retired military and seniors. There is no admission fee for children 2 and under or Museum members. Admission is $5 on Fridays. Learn more at www.themosh.org.

###

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Nov. 2, 2017 — New STEM and robotics learning opportunities will be available in Jacksonville’s Urban Core this weekend thanks to a partnership between the Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub, Renaissance Jax, and Bethel Baptist Institutional Church.

WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

WHERE: Bethel Baptist Institutional Church

215 Bethel Baptist St.

Jacksonville, FL 32202

The practice robotics tournament will be open to students from nine to 15 years old who are part of an existing FIRST LEGO League team and who have not participated in a previous practice tournament this year. Parents and children who are interested in learning more about competitive robotics are welcome to come out and see what the activities are like for themselves.

The 2017-2018 competition theme, HYDRO DYNAMICSSM” , focuses on water: how people find, transport, use, or dispose of it. Guided by two or more adult coaches, FIRST LEGO League teams comprising up to 10 members in grades four through eight research a real-world problem related to the competition theme and are challenged to develop a solution. They also must design, build, and program a robot using LEGO software, then compete on a tabletop playing field.

“The FIRST robotics programs develop and refine the programming, engineering, and problem-solving skills that students will need to compete in the future workforce,” said Robert Copeland, executive director of the STEM2 Hub. “Hosting robotics activities at The Bethel Church helps us reach even more students in Jacksonville’s Urban Core neighborhoods with engaging and exciting STEM activities so that they can start to picture themselves in STEM careers and learn more about opportunities in these fields.”

“We are continually impressed with the outpouring of support from our community and are excited to work with Bethel Baptist to grow an amazing presence with FIRST LEGO League so that students and mentors can grow from the site each year. What they’re doing with the BEST Academy is amazing and we are looking forward to the church becoming a premier site for competitive youth robotics in the region,” said Mark McCombs, executive director of Renaissance Jax, the Northeast Florida affiliate for FIRST LEGO League.

About the Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub

The Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub represents an investment initially made by 15 companies headquartered in region. The mission is to convene, inspire, and invest in the STEM2 field by providing the essential missing elements to accelerate the growth of STEM2 education and careers in the 7 North Florida counties of Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns. For a list of the current corporate board members and more information about the STEM2 Hub in Northeast Florida, visit our website at stem2hub.org.

###