Science for All Youth Summit
Explore STEM in new and exciting ways!
Saturday, March 7, 2026 | 9 AM – 12:30 PM
The Science for All Youth Summit is a conference-style event designed for students in grades 4-7 from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. Participants explore several hands-on activities led by graduate and undergraduate students from UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University, and Duke University who are also from underserved backgrounds. Past activities have included microscope marvels, lemon electricity, and building biomechanics.
Registration includes lunch, conference swag, and a t-shirt.
The cost of the Science for All Youth Summit is made affordable due to the generous support of Gilead Sciences.
Register for the Youth Summit today!
Meet the Keynote Speaker: Donovan Livingston, Ph.D.
Donovan Livingston is an award-winning educator, spoken word poet, and public speaker. In 2016, his Harvard Graduate School of Education convocation address, “Lift Off” went viral, reaching over thirteen million views and prompting Hillary Clinton to praise, “It’s young graduates like [Livingston] who make it clear that America’s best days are still ahead.” Since his pivotal speech, Livingston has been featured on CNN, NPR, BBC, Good Morning America, and in news outlets across Europe, Australia, India, and South Africa. His convocation address was published as a book by Spiegel & Grau in 2017.
A believer in the enormous opportunities that education provides, Donovan Livingston inspires students, educators, and communities with his conviction that every child has the right to “lift off” and achieve their dreams.
2026 Science for All Youth Summit
Location:
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Cost of attendance: $10
Registration for the Science for All Youth Summit is open through February 20, 2026.
Colorful Chemistry
Come explore the magic of science with the Duke Chemistry Department! Investigate how ultraviolet light changes the color of special beads, create hidden messages using invisible ink, and analyze pigments through marker chromatography. Join us to uncover how chemistry helps us understand the colors in the world around us.
Ziplines
Use the Engineering Design process to see how ziplines have real life uses by designing and constructing a device to carry a tiny paper person from the top of the zipline to the bottom.
Ping Pong Pickup
In this exciting engineering challenge, participants will build a device that can pick up a ping pong ball from a distance and return it to a start line. Pick up trash, or something on a table!! Participants use the design engineering process to solve real world problems.
Bytes, Beads, and Brain Power
Explore the hidden logic behind how computers think, communicate, and solve problems. In this session, you’ll experiment with patterns, puzzles, and creative challenges that bring coding concepts to life without needing your computer!
Unlock the Secrets Inside You
Get hands-on with biology as you uncover what makes every living thing unique! You’ll see your own DNA build colorful models of genetic patterns, and test how your brain and body work together to overcome your body’s limitations.
Strawberry DNA Extraction: Become a Scientist for the Day!
Ever wondered what DNA actually looks like and how scientists extract it from living organisms? In this interactive lesson, students will explore what DNA is, where it is found, and why it is so important through guided questions and discussion. Then, using simple household materials, participants will extract real DNA from strawberries and see it with their own eyes. Along the way, students will predict what different solutions do to the cells and reflect on their observations after the extraction.
Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the Science for All Youth Summit! Volunteers are required to attend a training session on February 24 or February 26 from 5 – 6 pm. Training details will be shared in mid-January.
For general inquiries and questions, please contact sfayouthsummit@unc.edu.