There are moments when curiosity sparks something bigger. A question turns into an experiment. An experiment turns into a passion. And sometimes, in a small town with big opportunities, that passion turns into a future.
On Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Hemlock Public School District will host the Next Gen STEM Festival at Hemlock High School in partnership with Michigan Technological University’s Mind Trekkers. The event is free and open to the public.
This is not your typical Saturday.
This is where bubbles become physics lessons. Where bananas become musical instruments. Where students do not just learn about science, they step inside it, question it, and reshape it.
With over 50 hands-on activity stations, the festival is designed to ignite curiosity across all ages. From immersive demonstrations to interactive challenges, the experience is built around one simple idea. Learning sticks when it is lived.
“This event is about access and opportunity,” said Laura Trombley, Director of the Lockwood STEM Center. “When students can see it, touch it, and try it themselves, something shifts. They begin to believe that STEM is not just something you study. It is something you can become a part of. That is powerful.”
The partnership with Michigan Technological University brings nationally recognized programming into the heart of the community, reinforcing Hemlock’s commitment to innovation and real-world learning. It also reflects a broader vision, one where small-town schools do not follow trends but help set them.
Board of Education President Matt Wesener emphasized the long-term impact of experiences like this.
“At Hemlock, we believe in creating opportunities that open doors,” Wesener said. “Events like the Next Gen STEM Festival show our students what is possible. They connect learning to real futures, and they remind our community that investing in education is investing in everything that comes next.”
This is what it looks like to Pull the Sled.
Not in theory. In action.
A community showing up. Partners leaning in. Students stepping forward into spaces that challenge them, stretch them, and inspire them.
The Next Gen STEM Festival is more than an event. It is a signal. Hemlock is not waiting for the future to arrive. We are building it, one student, one experience, one opportunity at a time.
For more information, visit: bit.ly/NGSHem26