By Matt de Simone
The Eagle Rock Ruritan Club hosted its fourth annual Science Festival last Saturday at Eagle Rock Elementary School, drawing families, students and community members from across northern Botetourt County for a day of hands-on STEM exploration and career discovery.
The festival, which originally began as a way to connect agriculture with science, technology, engineering and math concepts, has grown steadily over the past four years into a broader showcase of local industries, environmental education, healthcare and skilled trades.
“The Ruritan Club was very pleased with the turnout this year,” Eagle Rock Ruritan President Beth Leffel said when asked about the event. “We had so many families express how much their children had learned on such a variety of topics. We actually had 20 different organizations have activity tents with lessons covering the physics of catapults, engineering of crane-work, biology of mushrooms, traumatic injuries, and chemistry of cement, just to name a few. In addition, there were over 15 elementary and college students displaying science fair projects. This event is just not possible without so much community support for which we are very thankful.”
Several community organizations, businesses, and civic groups participated in the event, offering interactive exhibits and demonstrations designed to engage attendees of all ages. Children and adults explored activities ranging from robotics and catapult-building to wildlife education, medical demonstrations, and agricultural science.
Exhibits included an inflatable educational display focused on colon cancer awareness, virtual reality experiences introducing students to STEM careers, and “Stop the Bleed” emergency response demonstrations. Other booths highlighted honeybee biology, mushroom identification, sunflower oil production, and environmental conservation efforts.
This year’s event was supported by community partners including Carris Reels, Titan Roanoke Cement, Mountain Crane, and MKB Realtors. Participating vendors and organizations included the James River Buffer Program, Virginia Conservation Assistance Program, Riparian Consortium, Virginia State Parks, Mountain Castles Soil and Water Conservation District, Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension, Botetourt County Farm Bureau, Botetourt 4-H Honey Club, Ingevity, The Claudius Project, Botetourt County Libraries, Botetourt County Fire & EMS, and the Eagle Rock Ruritan Club.
The festival was created to provide students in rural communities with exposure to educational opportunities and career paths they may not otherwise encounter locally. Organizers said the event also aimed to demonstrate how STEM fields connect to everyday life and local industries.
