Wed, Sep 17
|Emerald Coast Science Center
Pathways: Middle School Workshop
New sessions every 3rd Wednesday of the month from 1-3 p.m. for 6-8th grade students.
Time & Location
Sep 17, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Emerald Coast Science Center, 31 Memorial Pkwy SW, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548, USA
About The Event
We invite all middle schoolers in grades 6-8 to our Pathways program. With these workshops, home school students will design, build, and test new challenges. These challenges will help students explore career pathways across STEM disciplines. Each month in our workshops, we'll explore a new topic.
Classes scheduled every 3rd Wednesday
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Cost per session:
$35 nonmember
$30 member
Sign up via our events page or call 850-664-1261. Please bring a completed registration form with you to your child's first workshop or email it to website@ecscience.org. If you wish to register for multiple classes at once, please email website@ecscience.org with your completed registration form and the dates you'd like to sign up for to be invoiced. Your child's spot in the workshop is not confirmed until payment is processed.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Cancellations made 48 hours or more in advance of the event date will incur a 10% administrative fee. Cancellations made within 48 hours of the event will incur a 30% administrative fee. There will be no refunds offered for missed classes without notice.
Step Up Scholarship Policy
The museum is not a Step Up/PEP provider. However, we can provide an invoice for reimbursement after payment is complete, but classes must be registered for via invoice in order to receive this. To register for classes via invoice, email your preferred class dates, child's name and age, and Science Center membership status to website@ecscience.org. For the security and privacy of our staff, we are unable to provide individual diplomas or certificates; instead, instructor credentials are listed directly on the reimbursement invoice.
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Upcoming Workshops 2025-2026
September 17th: Code and Conquer
Students will code Sphero robots to compete in bot battles and navigate through mazes. They'll use block coding and creative design to build robot armor, explore loops, and tackle real-world problem-solving with teamwork.
Pathway: Computer Science / Robotics
October 15th: See the Unseen
Discover how scientists "see" beyond visible light. Explore ultraviolet, infrared, and X-rays while conducting fun light-based experiments and solving spectral mysteries.
Pathway: Physics / Space & Earth Science
November 19th: Polymer Lab
Explore how polymers work by making slime and testing other cool materials you encounter every day. Through hands-on experiments, students will discover what makes polymers stretchy, sticky, and useful in science and technology.
Pathway: Chemistry / Materials Science
December 17th: STEAM & Sparkle
Just in time for the holidays! Explore metallurgy, wire wrapping, and simple metal shaping techniques. Learn how chemistry and art blend in jewelry design using beads, metals, and basic tools.
Pathway: Materials Science / Art + Chemistry
January 21st: Nano ExplorersDive into the microscopic world! Learn how nanoparticles affect our environment and how ferrofluids behave. Participants will experiment with magnetism, fluid behavior, and ocean conservation tech.
Pathway: Nanoscience / Environmental Science
February 18th: Love, Logic, & Leverage
Harness the power of water with Strawbees! Design and build working hydropower machines. Learn how engineers create sustainable energy solutions with creativity and problem-solving.
Pathway: Environmental Engineering
March 25th: Rocket Lab*
Celebrate the March Equinox with a launch of your own! In this hands-on workshop, students will design and test paper rockets and custom launchers. Along the way, they'll explore Newton’s laws, propulsion, and the engineering behind real space missions.
Pathway: Aerospace Engineering / Physics
April 15th: Lights, Camera, Science!
Get ready to mix creativity with curiosity. In this hands-on workshop, students will produce their own stop-motion animations that spotlight big science topics related to environmental conservation, just in time for Earth Day!
Pathway: Digital Media / Physics
May 20th: The Great Balloon Battle
Using the same versatile Sphero robots from September, students will design creative protective shields and accessories for their bots as they navigate fun balloon-based challenges.
Pathway: Robotics / Mechanical Engineering.
*Alternate date