The Help Group’s STEM3 Academy, the first school in the nation to provide a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum to students with special needs, announces its second annual Very Special Innovation Fair – equal parts science fair, high-tech exhibition, art show, and community carnival. The free event will be a family-friendly celebration of talent, imagination, and discovery from young STEM enthusiasts, as well as some of the region’s innovative companies. Last year’s event proved to be very successful with 500+ in attendance. This year’s event is expected to draw a big crowd again.

Inspired in part by the Maker Movement, the event will have specific areas geared toward grade school, middle school, and high school ages and interests. In each area, there will be interactive opportunities for young people and families to build things, get involved in experiments and demonstrations, and take various gadgets for a ‘test drive.’

The Very Special Innovation Fair will allow hundreds of attendees to have a first-person experience in a range of STEM-related fields, including rocketry, robotics, 3D printing and production, virtual reality, and others. There will also be food and giveaways.

STEM3 Academy is hosting the fair to help people learn about the exciting things happening in STEM and how it is playing an increasing role in fields as diverse as manufacturing, medicine, design, and entertainment, among others.

According to Dr. Susan Berman, COO of The Help Group, “We’re focused on developing strategies and fun programming for young people that encourage a passion for STEM. Our first Very Special Innovation Fair proved successful. It’s a chance to show the community what is happening in STEM and how our young people can prepare to take these areas to an exciting new level in the future.”

The Very Special Innovation Fair will take place Saturday, November 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the STEM3 Academy Valley Glen campus For more information on the Very Special Innovation Fair, please visit: www.innovationfair.stem3academy.org.