October 10, 2020
The iMAGINE STEAM Festival in Rock Hill is a designed to showcase preK-12 education and career pathways in Science, Technology, Arts, Engineering and Math (STEAM) through fun, hands-on learning for families from across York, Chester and Lancaster Counties. The festival will be a highly visible street festival that engages companies, schools and nonprofits in providing exciting, interactive STEAM learning exhibits for PreK-12 students and their families. The purpose of the festival is to ignite the interest of students in STEAM learning and career pathways. This exciting event will take place on September 28, 2019 from 10 am – 4 pm in Old Town Rock Hill throughout the Main Street area and Fountain Park. It will feature hands-on activities, interactive demonstrations and family-oriented STEAM entertainment. The iMAGINE STEAM Festival is an initiative of the Upstate SC STEM Collaborative managed by South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics and Science (SCCMS) at Clemson University.
The Issue
In South Carolina and across the nation, business leaders are struggling to meet the current and projected demand for jobs in STEM. Companies will not invest in a community unless they are confident that they can find the talent they need to stay competitive. Only 26% of South Carolina students are graduating with the degrees and certification necessary to obtain these jobs. Students' lagging performance in K–12 math and science, particularly among minorities, is a critical reason why.Source: Education Commission of the States
The Solution
The good news is that the effective programs like iMAGINE STEAM Festival in Rock Hill are beginning to fill in the gaps in the STEM pipeline in South Carolina. iMAGINE STEAM Festival in Rock Hill partners with major South Carolina employers to identify high demand career pathways and showcase them to a new generation of innovators in exciting ways. Through interactive learning experiences, iMAGINE STEAM Festival in Rock Hill sparks the imaginations of PreK-12 students and fosters their aspirations to pursue 21st century STEM careers.Program Goals
Celebrate STEAM, innovation, and entrepreneurial activity in York, Lancaster & Chester Counties.
Promote PreK-12 education and workforce development with an emphasis on student readiness.
Raise awareness and educate students, families, and professionals about STEAM career opportunities in York, Lancaster & Chester Counties.
Ignite an interest in STEAM for PreK-12 students and cultivate lifelong learning through hands-on experiences that connect to 21st century careers.
Increase opportunities for under- represented groups and promote equity in STEAM education and careers.
iMAGINE is a program of South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics & Science (SCCMS) at Clemson University.
