A NASA Astronaut who piloted the Space Shuttle Columbia is visiting schools in Salina on Thursday and Friday. Saturday Duane “Digger” Carey will host an event on the campus of Kansas Wesleyan University.

Students, families, and community members are invited to experience the excitement of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics at Liftoff to STEAM, a free community event taking place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the KWU campus.

Centered around the motto “Hands On, Minds On, Future Ready,” Liftoff to STEAM will bring together local organizations, educators, and community partners to showcase the many ways STEAM learning connects to the world around us.

Following Carey’s presentation, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., attendees will be invited to explore a STEAM Community Showcase in Muir Gym, where local organizations will provide interactive, hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity and encourage learning through exploration and discovery. The showcase will give children, families, and community members an opportunity to try something new while learning about the people and organizations working to expand STEAM opportunities throughout the region. The Showcase will also feature giveaways (while supplies last), prizes, and food trucks with food available for purchase.

Liftoff to STEAM is made possible through a collaboration of community partners, including Salina Public Library, Kansas Wesleyan University, Smoky Hill Education Service Center, Fili Creative, STARBASE Salina, Earl Bane Foundation, and the Pat Mullen Fund of the Greater Salina Community Foundation.

The event is designed to be accessible to learners of all ages, with activities that encourage attendees to ask questions, experiment, create, and discover. Whether exploring a new technology, learning about space, or participating in a hands-on activity, Liftoff to STEAM aims to show that learning doesn’t have to stop when the classroom ends.