STEM Fest celebrates ‘God’s Weird and Wonderful World’

Students learn and discover through hands-on STEM activities

On Nov. 3, Spencerville Adventist Academy hosted Chesapeake Conference’s annual STEM Fest, bringing together over 550 students from Spencerville, Baltimore White Marsh Adventist School, Friendship Adventist School, and homeschool families. The event, themed “God’s Weird and Wonderful World,” offered students opportunities to explore science and faith through hands-on activities, exhibits, and interactions with STEM professionals.

This year’s STEM Fest featured keynote speaker John Henri Rorabeck, a naturalist who discussed unique and sometimes “weird” animal adaptations, illustrating how God’s creation reflects His love for diversity and reminds us that He loves us in spite of our own differences and uniqueness.

Elementary-age students rotated through engaging activities, including designing catapults, creating marble mazes, and making slime. Younger children enjoyed a reptile room and building stations with age-appropriate LEGOs. Middle and high school students attended sessions led by STEM professionals, including representatives from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, who taught students about rockets and offered the chance to launch model rockets. Adventist HealthCare provided insights into cancer research and AI’s role in healthcare. Another highlight was an escape room where participants solved clues focused on online safety.

In the gym, exhibitors from organizations like Florida Conference’s INNOVUS Innovation Center, Mt. Aetna Nature Center, Chesapeake Conference’s Education Department, and university STEM departments, including Washington Adventist University and the University of Maryland’s School of Engineering, offered interactive activities and giveaways. The event’s grand prize, donated by iFLY Indoor Skydiving, included two flight experiences awarded through a raffle.

“This was a highly successful event that brought the community together to celebrate God’s weird and wonderful creation,” said Chesapeake Conference STEM coordinator Paty Serrano. “We all learned together, had fun together, and grew closer as a community.”