Teen Science Cafe - Kaleidoscope Discovery Center

10/10/2026

If you have time you can catch our Metallurgy friends from September’s Cafe at Old Iron Works Festival today.

🔥 Come see ironmaking in action!

Join Missouri S&T’s American Foundry Society (AFS) Student Chapter and Blacksmithing Club for a live ironmaking demonstration at the Old Iron Works Festival on Saturday, October 10! Meet our students and experience the fire, craftsmanship, and science of making iron.

📍 Maramec Spring Park, St. James, MO
📅 Saturday, October 10, 2026
🕙 Festival hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
🚗 Festival admission: $25 per car; free with a season pass

Enjoy a fall day filled with demonstrations, artisans, food, and music—and cheer on our Missouri S&T students as they bring metallurgy to life!

09/25/2026

We planned the fermented or fizzy food we’ll explore at next week’s Teen Science Cafe. Register to join the fun on Thursday!

09/18/2026

Any teens ready to take on an AI Challenge?

The challenge in ON!

STEM Next and Panasonic Foundation have launched the AI Innovation Challenge, a national prize challenge inviting high school youth in afterschool programs to develop innovative projects addressing real-world challenges using AI.

With support from trusted program leaders, youth will use AI to research an issue they care about, explore ideas and develop a proposed solution while building AI literacy, critical thinking and other durable skills.
No prior AI experience or coding skills are required for youth or educators. Sign up to receive a free Challenge Toolkit with facilitation guides, AI safety resources, templates, and step-by-step resources to help your team get started.

Winning programs can earn up to $5,000 in prize funding.

Submissions are due November 19.

Learn more and sign up: https://bit.ly/4i3Dchn

09/09/2026

Our first Cafe of 2026-27!
Teen Science Cafe at Kaleidoscope Discovery Center is part of the Teen Science Café Network
Thanks to Ben Hilgers and Missouri S&T Materials Science & Engineering Dept.

09/09/2026

Sign up for next week’s webinar if you want to hear recent updates on career choices and an upcoming competition opportunity.

Registration link in post.

🚀 AI, Careers & the Future of Work
Teens: Explore where AI could take you.
Afterschool programs: Turn that curiosity into an opportunity!

Join STEM Next for our Teen Career Chat: AI & The Future of Work, where teens will hear from leaders in AI and tech about emerging careers, the skills they’ll need, and how technology is changing the world of work.

Then, take it a step further with the AI Innovation Challenge from STEM Next Opportunity Fund and the Panasonic Foundation! High school youth can identify a real-world problem they care about, use AI to research and develop ideas, and strengthen a proposed solution.

🏆 Programs can win up to $5,000!
💡 No prior AI experience or coding skills required.
📅 Teen Career Chat: Wednesday, Sept. 16
⏰ 6:00 PM EST / 3:00 PM PST
📅 Challenge submissions due: Nov. 19, 2026
👉 Learn more & sign up: https://bit.ly/4i3Dchn
Explore the future. Build the skills. Create what’s next.
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08/31/2026

Coming Thursday- Our 1st Cafe of 2026-27. Location sent to registered attendees. Bring a friend.

08/27/2026

🔥 What happens when science gets REALLY hot? Find out at the first Teen Science Café of the new school year!

Join us Thursday, September 3, as we meet Ben Hilgers, a Rolla resident and Ph.D. student in metallurgical engineering at Missouri S&T. Ben will introduce us to the world of metallurgy and engineering — through a behind the scenes tour of Missouri S&T facilities to see where STEM happens.

Teens will have plenty of time to talk with Ben about metallurgy, engineering, what college is really like, and the many different paths a STEM career can take.

🔥 Teen Science Café with Ben Hilgers
📅 Thursday, September 3, 2026
⏰ 5:30–7:00 pm
🎓 Ages 13–18
🎟️ FREE — registration required
📍 Location details provided after registration

Teen Science Café isn't a lecture. It's a chance to meet STEM professionals, ask questions, explore real STEM spaces, and find out what a future in science and engineering might actually look like.

Register at thekaleidoscope.org/tsc


Rolla High School St. James R-1 High School Newburg R-II School District Uncover Rolla Materials Science and Engineering

08/17/2026

SNEAK PEEK!!! --Fiery Metal in--Cast in Steel!-- includes our Teen Science Cafe September 3 STEM Presenter, Ben Hilgers, and others from the S&T team competing against other schools' teams on Forging, Casting, Metal Working, etc. ⚔️🔥
Watch this short video for slicing and sharp-metal moves!
Go to the YT Channel for the complete 49 min Cast In Steel premiere episode with more in-depth stories about the S&T team and other schools' participants. (Cast, Not Forged: ... Ep 1)

Missouri S&T's "MSTeel" steps into Cast In Steel — the student stee...

05/28/2026

Computerized Patients - Crises - Normal checkup procedures — See how 🏥 Phelps Health staff 👩‍⚕️ for Real Life in their Simulation Training Lab.
Stop the bleed certificate (pic) and EMS 🚁 Tour optional at end of Cafe!
🗓️ 1 week away! RSVP now! (Attendance limited)

Interested in medicine or human anatomy? Join Teen Science Cafe at 🏥 Phelps Health Simulation and Training lab next week on June 4! We’ll start at 12:45.
🚁 Optional EMS tour and Stop the Bleed certification, 2-2:30pm.
‼️ Register at thekaleidoscope.org/tsc - link in FB Event — ‼️ attendance Min 6, Max15 — so message a friend and get registered!

We are hosted by MO AHEC. The photo shows the Stop the bleed activity.

The simulation lab has computerized adult and child “patients” where training for normal situations can take place, as well as rare IRL crises, so everyone knows what to do when those situations do occur. It’s going to be great!!

Teen Science Cafe - Kaleidoscope Discovery Center , part of the Science Cafe Network

Phelps Health Simulation Lab - Teen Science Cafe 🏥 🚁

05/25/2026

Missouri S&T and the Missouri AfterSchool Network are hosting the Midwest STEM Conference this summer, July 28-29. We hope Kaleidoscope Discovery Center Teen Science Cafe will be selected as a presenter to share our rural STEM outreach to Teens story -- with teachers, administrators, STEM service providers, and other non-profit leaders who attend.

Sign up below -- Attendance is Free and meals are provided during the conference. It is a great opportunity to network with other STEM professionals and volunteers from MO, and learn about the resources of the S&T Kummer Center for STEM, MASN, and other resources and projects in STEM across the state!