JCLS Hosts “STEM in the Park” Community Events

The Communities for Immunity event will take place March 19 and 22 at Twin Creeks Park 

Medford, Oregon (March 7, 2022)—Jackson County Library Services (JCLS) will partner with Central Point Parks & Recreation to host STEM in the Park, two community events to boost COVID-19 vaccine confidence and engage residents in exploring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities related to health and immunity. STEM in the Park will take place from 2:30–4:30 p.m. on both Saturday, March 19 and Tuesday, March 22 at Twin Creeks Park, 555 Twin Creeks Crossing Loop, in Central Point. Children and caregivers are invited to learn about health and science as they visit different stations with exciting, age-appropriate experiments. Book giveaways, tasty treats, and the great outdoors are included in this one-of-a-kind experience. 

The STEM in the Park learning stations will encourage hands-on exploration: 

• Explore the history of pandemics, vaccines, and world health through an interactive journal. 
• Learn about the base components of a virus by making a beaded bracelet to represent its parts. 
• Use the computer programming language Scratch to simulate how viruses spread. 
• Learn proper handwashing technique, and test the results with Glo Germ Gel.
• Study how far a sneeze can travel with and without a mask. 
• Enjoy a self-guided StoryWalk featuring Elizabeth Verdick’s book Germs Are Not for Sharing. 

The Toasted Cheese food truck will be on site. Kids will be eligible for one free item from the food truck after attending the learning stations. 

JCLS is also partnering with the Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) COVID-19 Response & Recovery Unit to provide a mobile vaccination clinic at this event. Those who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine or are getting their second dose, as well as those needed a booster, are encouraged to stop by. No appointment required.  

JCLS presents STEM in the Park with support from Communities for Immunity, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Communities for Immunity is an initiative supporting the work of museums and libraries in engaging their communities in COVID-19 vaccine confidence.