Check Out Our New Website!
We’re excited to share that our brand-new CREATE STEM Ecosystem website is live! It’s definitely a work in progress, but it will continue to grow into a central hub for sharing information, resources, and opportunities with educators, parents, industry, and community partners. Stay tuned as we continue to build and expand this space to better serve and connect our STEM community!
🔗https://ecosystem.alabamacreate.com/
#STEMCommunity #CREATEConnects #WorkInProgressButGrowing
East Alabama Works Hosts 10th Annual Worlds of Work Career Expo
The 10th annual Worlds of Work Career Expo brought together nearly 8,000 eighth-grade and high school juniors from seven counties at the Oxford Civic Center this week, providing an immersive look at local career opportunities.
Organized by East Alabama Works, the three-day event featured over 100 career presenters across 10 interactive career worlds, giving students a chance to explore industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and public safety through hands-on activities. Unlike traditional career fairs, the expo encouraged active participation, from trying on firefighting gear to engaging in medical simulations.
Sponsored primarily by Eastman and supported by local industries, the event was made possible through the efforts of 1,200 volunteers who helped coordinate the massive educational initiative.
Although day three of the 2025 Worlds of Work had to be canceled due to weather concerns, the first two days were a tremendous success, welcoming thousands of eighth-graders from across the East AlabamaWorks region.
Designed to guide students toward future career paths, the expo targeted eighth-graders considering career tech programs and high school juniors preparing for post-graduation decisions. By exposing students to multiple pathways—including workforce entry, technical training, and college—the event serves as a key tool in shaping Alabama’s future workforce.
Planning for next year’s Worlds of Work Expo is already underway, ensuring that students continue to have opportunities to connect with potential careers and local industry leaders.
For more information, contact East Alabama Works at 256-231-5160.
Innovate, Compete, Inspire: ACTE Region 4 Fair Showcases Future STEM Leaders
The 2025 ACTE Region 4 Fair successfully concluded its hybrid event, combining online presentations with an in-person gathering at Jacksonville State University on March 4, 2025. Students from across Region 4, including Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, St. Clair, and Talladega counties, showcased their technological prowess across 17 categories, including Animation, Digital Art, Robotics, and Video Production. Participants submitted pre-recorded presentations and portfolios for judging, while the in-person event featured technology tests, robotics demonstrations, and an awards ceremony.
Looking ahead, the top two winners from each regional category have earned the opportunity to compete in the ACTE State Technology Fair. Scheduled for March 27-29, 2025, at the University of Montevallo, the state fair will bring together Alabama's brightest young minds to further exhibit their innovative projects.
These events play a crucial role in promoting STEM learning by providing hands-on opportunities for students to apply their technical knowledge in real-world scenarios. They encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration—key skills needed for success in STEM fields. By engaging in competitions that span coding, engineering, and digital design, students gain exposure to emerging technologies and career pathways in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Such experiences not only build technical proficiency but also inspire the next generation of innovators, preparing them for future academic and professional pursuits in an increasingly tech-driven world.
Operation Air Guardian Soars with STEM Innovation
As part of Oxford Middle Schools’ Upskills classes and 7th grade science curriculum, students recently stepped into the shoes of real-world problem solvers during Operation Air Guardian—an immersive engineering challenge simulating the high-stakes delivery of medical supplies to disaster-stricken areas. Students were tasked with designing packaging systems to protect fragile items during high-altitude airdrops, engaging in every phase of the engineering design process—from research and prototyping to testing and refinement using real-world impact data.
This year’s challenge introduced a new twist to the classic egg drop test: teams had to ensure their “medical supply” (egg) could survive both impact and rapid deployment. To bring the simulation to life, Oxford Fire Department partnered with the program, using their ladder truck to mimic actual aerial drops. This real-world scenario challenged students to consider stability, speed, and unpredictability—mirroring conditions faced in emergency relief efforts. It was an unforgettable learning experience that blended STEM skills, scientific inquiry, and service-driven innovation.
🌟 Teacher Opportunity: Alabama STEM Externship Program Coming to Calhoun County!
We’re thrilled to share that the Alabama STEM Council's STEM Teacher Externship Program (STEP) is headed to Calhoun County this summer – June 24–26! This 3-day experience gives high school and CTE teachers the chance to step into local industries, connect with professionals, and bring real-world STEM applications back into the classroom.
Hosted in partnership with the Calhoun County EDC, this initiative strengthens career pathway awareness and helps educators answer that age-old question: “When will I ever use this in real life?”
Spots are limited, so if you know a high school teacher who teaches a STEM or STEM-related CTE course (think construction, IT, health sciences, agri-science, engineering, math, etc.), please encourage them to submit an interest form today!
🔗 Submit Interest Form + Learn More
Let’s connect classrooms to careers—one externship at a time!
🔬 STEM Extravagana - AcaSTEMics STEM Event 🚀
The AcaSTEMics STEM Event, STEM Extravagana, in partnership with McWane Science Center and the Wiggins Community Center, is coming to the City Meeting Center on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This hands-on event offers exciting opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering, and math in an interactive setting.
📢 Stay tuned for more STEM events throughout the year!
Register now
You're Invited to the Talladega County Schools Community Innovation Showcases!
Join Talladega County as they celebrate innovation in teaching and learning across their school communities! Experience firsthand how students and educators are embracing creativity, collaboration, and cutting-edge instructional strategies during the 2024-2025 academic year. Each showcase will highlight unique projects, hands-on learning experiences, and student-led innovations that are shaping the future of education in Talladega County.
📅 Showcase Dates & Locations:
🔹 Lincoln Community Schools – April 30, 2025
🔹 Munford Community Schools – May 1, 2025
🔹 Childersburg Middle/High Schools – May 2, 2025
🔹 Stemley Road Elementary – May 2, 2025
🔹 Fayetteville School – May 5, 2025
🔹 Childersburg Elementary & Watwood Elementary – May 7, 2025
🔹 Sycamore Elementary & Winterboro High School – May 7, 2025
For exact event times and locations, please visit your school's social media pages. Come witness the power of innovation in education and support the incredible work happening in our schools! We look forward to seeing you there!
We want to hear from you! If your school or business has exciting STEM experiences or partnerships between industry and the community, we’d love to feature them in our next issue. Please take a moment to share your story by scanning the QR code or clicking the link to fill out our quick form. Your contribution helps us highlight innovative learning opportunities and inspire others across our community. We look forward to learning about the amazing work happening in STEM near you!