What happens when a single classroom project launches into a massive, city-wide STEM festival? At Canaan Middle School in Plain City, Ohio, "Space Day" transformed from a small, local initiative into a full-day, high-energy community movement that draws thousands of visitors for this annual event.
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Getting families and local partners truly excited about school events is tough, and standard science nights often fall flat. By leveraging their Think Big Space and going all-in on hands-on exploration, Canaan’s educators built a year-round planning blueprint that turns classroom learning into inspiring, real-world experiences for all ages.
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In this spotlight session, you will learn from the playbook used to scale Space Day into an unstoppable annual tradition. Get exclusive insight to how their teachers collaborated with space centers across the country, weave out-of-this-world concepts into daily lessons, and secure total community buy-in. You’ll take away strategies to level up your district and launch your own game-changing STEM movement.
Emily Byers is the Director of Technology and Innovation at Jonathan Alder Local Schools, where she dedicates her career to redefining what it means to learn. Emily blends deep academic expertise with a vibrant passion for hands-on, creative thinking. She specializes in STEM education, always seeking out innovative ways to integrate technology that makes learning both deeply meaningful and genuinely fun.
Emily’s educational philosophy is simple: school should be an adventure. Driven by a desire to see students excited about coming to class, she works tirelessly to bridge the gap between textbook concepts and real-world applications. Along with working alongside staff and students, Emily also is passionate about sharing STEM education with families and community members. For the past 3 years, she has planned and implemented Space Day for the Jonathan Alder community which has pulled in 1500+ participants.
Whether she is strategizing district-wide tech integration or launching the next big Space Day, Emily remains focused on her ultimate "why": inspiring students to love learning today so they can confidently shape the world tomorrow.
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What You'll Learn:Â By the end of this session, you'll be ready to:
Build a High-Impact STEM Festival: I can use Canaan’s step-by-step blueprint to turn small classroom events into district-wide, high-energy community movements.
Bring Space Tech to Life: I can integrate hands-on, real-world space content and expert-backed strategies into everyday lessons to keep students hooked.
Rally Community Buy-In: I can leverage simple outreach and turnkey planning strategies to get local partners, families, and sponsors excited to support school programs.
