#399 TUE | Tech Event Rewind

Event Recap: FSU TECH EXPO

Tech Award: Oak Hall School Receives National Award

CityClips Live Recap: FSU’s CSCOO Matthew Christoffel

FL Tech Events

The FSU Tech Expo is an annual event hosted by FSU Panama City in partnership with the ASCENT.FSU program. It’s all about bringing the community together to explore tech, STEM education, and career opportunities.

The Expo featured hands-on activities like rocket building, shoe design, Sphero Bots, Saturn 5 LEGOs, Minecraft games, a planetarium, and even eSports. There was something for everyone, from kids to adults. 👶🏻👨🏻‍🦱

Around 400 people showed up, including educators, tech enthusiasts, vendors, student clubs, and volunteers from all over North Florida. The vibe was lively, with food trucks and plenty of interactive setups. ✨

Ten students from FSU’s College of Communication and Information helped out, running tables on topics like 3D printing, AI tools, STEM quizzes, and more. Their energy and passion for tech really made an impact.

The goal was to spark curiosity about STEM careers among young students while giving families a glimpse into the tech world — and judging by the excitement, it definitely hit the mark!

Oak Hall School in Gainesville has earned a prestigious national award for its commitment to STEM education. The school was recently named a 2024–2025 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School for its exceptional efforts in offering hands-on STEM learning to students. 👨🏻‍🎓

This award recognizes Oak Hall's dedication to providing engaging, real-world applications of science, technology, engineering, and math through the PLTW Launch curriculum. Over 75% of the school’s Lower School students actively participated in the program, which focuses on projects like designing a car safety belt and creating animations based on their own stories.

The recognition reflects the school’s broader goal of fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills in young learners. By offering these unique learning opportunities, Oak Hall is helping students explore the world of STEM in ways that are both fun and educational. 😊✨

Dr. James Hutchins, Head of School, expressed pride in Oak Hall’s involvement with the PLTW program, noting that these types of experiences help students understand the power of creativity and teamwork in tackling real-world challenges.

Last Wednesday, Julia had the pleasure of featuring Matthew Christoffel, Chair at Cybersecurity Community Outreach Organization | CityClips Live Ep. 81

FSU’s Cybersecurity Outreach Organization is on a mission to educate the community about online safety. They host workshops to raise awareness, especially for vulnerable groups like seniors, on topics like phishing scams. Plus, they offer hands-on "Capture the Flag" (CTF) competitions for students to develop real-world cybersecurity skills in a fun, gamified way!

Here are the takeaways of his interview with Julia:

Featured Event: Future Ready Tallahassee - AI Innovations Summit by Tallahassee State College and Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce | Thursday, May 29 | 8 AM | Tallahassee State College, 444 Appleyard Dr. | Free Reserve a Spot

Bots Down Under Bash Casual by TallyRobotics | Sunday, June 1 | 5 PM | American Legion Sauls-Bridges Post 13, 229 Lake Ella Dr. | $20 Tickets Learn More

FSU iCamp (2025) by Faye Jones | Monday, June 2 | 9 AM | Florida State University (Headquarters) University Center - Bld. C | $150 Tickets

Cybersecurity Capture the Flag by FSU | 9:30 AM | Florida State University Love Building Room 016 | Free Register Learn More (For high school and undergraduate students interested in cybersecurity - no experience necessary)

Kids’ Free Day by Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee | 10 AM | Challenger Learning Center, 200 South Duval St. | *Receive one complimentary child’s ticket for each adult ticket purchase. Hollywood Films excluded from this offer. Learn More (Every 3rd Saturday of the Month)

Save the Date: 2025 Florida Technology & Innovation Solution Summit | Tuesday, Aug. 12 | 9 AM | Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay | Register