The Santa Clarita Valley/Antelope Valley Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc. hosts its second STEAM Expo for kids and teens on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at College of the Canyons’ Diane Van Hook University Center in Valencia.

There is a waiting list for the free event that has reached its maximum number of 180 registrants. The program for youth aged 5 to 19 includes workshops on website design, mobile app coding, robotics, science, video game animation, graphic design, and careers in STEAM.

Distinguished STEAM professionals will lead the sessions that span the four-hour expo. Speakers include Lamar Taylor, supervisor, Electronic Security Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA; Neal L. Friedman, director, Robotics & Things; Anissa Barton-Thompson, adjunct faculty instructor and social media specialist for California State University, Dominguez Hills; and Jeffrey Baker, Introduction to Animation vendor, College of the Canyons.

Additionally, career panels will explore opportunities in architecture, sound engineering, cinema, television and new media, and a chief technology officer will offer insight on the next generation in technology.

The event will also feature workshops specifically geared to elementary school aged children, including science and chemistry demonstrations, interactive bubble science presentations, and self-directed play with Lego bricks.

Ebony Macon Johnson, president, Santa Clarita Valley/Antelope Valley chapter, is excited that the organization is offering the STEAM Expo a second time. “Our chapter received a regional award (2nd place) for Best of the Best Programming for this event last year,” she says. “As Jack and Jill members, one aim of our national organization is ‘to seek for all children the same advantages which we desire for our own.’ With this event, we can expose children of diverse backgrounds to various STEAM fields through fun activities and pique their interest in a potential career in STEAM.”

Event Chair Lisa Holmes says youth should be excited about the event. “If you attended last year, this is even bigger,” she explains. “There is something for everyone at this event. It is filled with fun hands on activities in science and robotics, mobile app, and website coding experiences that will result in a take home finished product.”

The STEAM Expo is supported by a grant from Santa Clarita Community College District, a California community college district and political subdivision of the State of California.