The third annual Eagle Rock Science Festival brought approximately 250 visitors to Eagle Rock Elementary School last Saturday, offering families and students a day filled with interactive students’ science fair exhibits, live demonstrations, and career exploration. Hosted by the Eagle Rock Ruritan Club, the event ran from late morning to the early afternoon and was free to the public.
The festival aimed to connect attendees of all ages with real-world applications of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), particularly within rural communities like northern Botetourt County. With strong support from local businesses, civic groups, and community organizations, the event expanded this year to feature a wide variety of career paths including healthcare, welding, environmental engineering, and more.
Visitors explored numerous hands-on exhibits staffed by volunteers, including local students, professionals, and civic organizations. Popular attractions included virtual reality goggles for exploring STEM careers, an inflatable colon exhibit for cancer education, and medical demonstrations. Agricultural and environmental exhibits focused on topics like honeybee conservation, composting science, and wildlife rescue. Other stations showcased robotics, engineering challenges like catapult construction, and the production of sunflower oil as an example of agritourism.
“The Ruritans are incredibly grateful to our amazing community for their support,” Eagle Rock Ruritan Beth Leffel said when asked about the event. “This festival wouldn’t be possible without the energy and enthusiasm of the volunteers who provided activity areas, along with generous sponsorships from local businesses. It was inspiring to see so many people—of all ages—come together to enjoy the fun and wonder of science!”
Attendees got to learn and experience activities put on by local organizations that included Apex Clean Energy, Beaver Dam Sunflowers, Blue Hive Apiary, Botetourt Fire & EMS, Botetourt 4-H Robotics, Botetourt 4-H Honey Bee Club, Botetourt County Extension and 4-H, Botetourt County Libraries, Eagle Rock Ruritan Club, Eagle Rock Volunteer Fire Department, Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, Girl Scouts of Va. Skyline Council, Greater Roanoke Workforce VR Goggles, Hitting Cancer Below the Belt, Mountain Crane, Roanoke Cement, Science Museum of Western Virginia, Southwest Va. Wildlife Center of Roanoke, Star City Compost, USDA Natural Resources Conservation, Virginia Western Community College, and Virginia Tech 4-H STEM Mobile Unit.
Support from partners such as the Claude Moore Foundation, Titan Roanoke Cement, Rocky Forge Wind, Mountain Crane, Faulconer, John Alderson Agency, MKB Realtors, Bank of Botetourt, and Lawrence Companies helped make the event possible, funding both the educational content and community entertainment.
The festival also featured food trucks and inflatable axe throwing, offering something for all ages. Organizers consider the event a growing success and hope to expand its impact in the future, continuing to bring STEM learning opportunities to rural students and families.
