Berryville, VA – The halls of Clarke County High School were transformed into a hub of scientific discovery and technological wonder this past Tuesday as the Clarke County Education Foundation (CCEF), in close collaboration with Clarke County Public Schools (CCPS) hosted Clarke County Family STEM Night.
A collaborative team comprising CCEF and CCPS Division level staff, administrators, and teachers all worked to plan the highly-attended event. The event saw a record-breaking turnout, with over 750 people in attendance, including over forty volunteers and almost forty STEM exhibitors. From young students to curious grandparents, the community gathered to explore the timely theme: “Today and Tomorrow’s Trustworthy Technology and AI.”
The evening was the grand finale of an intensive day of STEM engagement. Dr. Christina Liaghati, MITRE’s Trustworthy & Secure AI Department Manager, spent the day visiting every school in the county engaging with every grade level in dynamic, age-appropriate talks that brought high-level technology down to earth. In a series of live demonstrations, students helped build and test an AI system in real time. The system, designed to identify and name objects, allowed students to see firsthand how machine learning “sees” the world and why accuracy and security are vital in modern engineering.
“STEM is about more than just equations; it’s about providing our students with the tools to navigate and lead in a digital world,” said Dr. Camrynn “Cammie” Fausey, CCEF’s Director of STEM Education and Innovation. “Watching students interact with Dr. Liaghati throughout the day as they built an AI model was a powerful reminder that our youth aren’t just consumers of technology—they are its future architects.”
In the evening, Clarke County Family STEM Night featured almost 40 exhibitors that packed the schools hallways and outside green space. To encourage deep interaction with these experts, the CCEF and school system partners incorporated multiple STEM games, including a cypher-decoding scavenger hunt and a STEM bingo game, where completed cards earned them access to 3D printed techy widgets and entry to raffle prizes.
The interactive stations included engineering challenges where students tested the structural integrity of bridge designs and explored geostructural concepts. Exhibitors led live demonstrations of chemical reactions and biological studies. Robotics displays, virtual reality stations, and interactive AI demonstrations brought the event’s AI theme to life.
Outside, the energy continued with a full festival setup. Families enjoyed four different food trucks and children burned off energy in four massive bounce houses, making the night as much of a community celebration as it was a hands-on learning experience.
The event’s success was fueled by local investment, led by sponsorship from C2 Management, a Berryville-based leader in electronics recycling and asset recovery, and Earth Retention, a regional expert in geostructural engineering.
By blending high-tech education with community fun, Clarke County Family STEM Night—a true partnership between the Foundation and the School Division—succeeded in its primary mission: sparking a curiosity that will follow Clarke County students from the classroom into their future careers.
CCEF is a non-profit organization dedicated to generating and distributing resources to enrich teaching, inspire learning, and enhance opportunities for all students and educators in Clarke County.
To learn more about the mission and work of CCEF or our lead sponsors, please visit:
- Clarke County Education Foundation:https://ccefinc.org
- C2 Management:https://c2management.com
- Earth Retention: https://earthretention.com
If you are interested in being a part of future similar events through sponsorship or signing up as an exhibitor please email Dr. Fausey at ca****@*****nc.org.
