STEM NOLA to Host STEM Saturday: “Saving Our City” Focused on Levees, Water and Environmental Resilience on September 26
Free, hands-on STEM experience will give K-12 students an opportunity to explore how engineering helps protect New Orleans from flooding and natural hazards
NEW ORLEANS, LA — STEM NOLA will host STEM Saturday: Saving Our City – Water, Levees & the Environment on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM at Cut-Off Recreation Center in New Orleans. This free, hands-on STEM experience will give students ages K-12 the opportunity to explore the science and engineering behind levees, flooding, wetlands and environmental protection while learning how STEM plays a critical role in protecting communities.
As part of STEM NOLA’s ongoing STEM Saturday series, students will investigate the forces of water and the engineering principles used to manage it. Through interactive activities, participants will design, build and test their own miniature levees and cities, experiment with water flow and flooding, and explore how wetlands and other natural systems can help protect communities from storm surge and erosion.
Connecting STEM to New Orleans’ Environment
For New Orleanians, understanding water and flood protection goes further than a classroom exercise because it is directly connected to the environment and infrastructure surrounding our city. The event takes place during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30, with September falling within the season’s climatological peak.
The event also comes nearly one month after the 21st anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2005, and profoundly affected New Orleans and communities across the Gulf Coast. By bringing these concepts to life through hands-on learning, STEM NOLA aims to help young people understand the engineering and environmental challenges that affect their own communities and see themselves as part of the generation capable of developing solutions for the future.
“In New Orleans, our relationship with water is part of who we are, and understanding how we protect our communities from flooding is an important part of understanding our city,” said Dr. Calvin Mackie, founder and CEO of STEM NOLA. “Levee Day gives students the opportunity to take a challenge they may have seen or experienced in their own community and turn it into a STEM lesson they can touch, build and test. We want young people to understand that the engineers and scientists developing solutions for our communities can not only look like them, but that they can be the ones solving these challenges in the future.”
Event Highlights:
- Build and Test Your Own Levee: Students will design and construct miniature levee systems, then test their structures against simulated flooding to see how well they protect their communities.
- Explore Water, Flooding and Erosion: Participants will investigate how water moves through and impacts communities while learning about the forces that contribute to flooding and erosion.
- Discover the Role of Wetlands: Students will explore how wetlands interact with water and contribute to the protection of coastal communities and ecosystems.
- Hands-On Environmental Engineering: Through interactive STEM challenges, students will apply principles of science and engineering to real-world environmental problems facing communities like New Orleans. Previous STEM NOLA Levee Day programming has included activities focused on miniature levees, wetlands and natural hazards.
A Community Partnership
STEM NOLA is presenting Levee Day with support from Entergy, the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD), the City of New Orleans, the New Orleans City Council, the T.D. Jakes Foundation and Training Grounds. During the event, Training Grounds will host a dedicated Toddler Corner for children ages 0–4, giving younger participants an opportunity to experience STEM through hands-on play and interactive activities.
Registration:
Space is limited! Parents and guardians are encouraged to register their students early at registration.stemnola.com to secure their spot.
Volunteers Needed:
STEM professionals, college students and community members are invited to volunteer and help facilitate hands-on STEM activities for participating students. Volunteers will receive training and activity instructions on-site, and full-time undergraduate college students are eligible for a $50 digital stipend.
To sign up as a volunteer, please visit the STEM NOLA volunteer registration page.
Event Details:
- Event: STEM Saturday: Saving Our City – Water, Levees & the Environment
- Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
- Time: 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Location: Cut-Off Recreation Center | 6600 Belgrade St. New Orleans, LA 70131
- Cost: Free
About STEM NOLA | STEM Global Action:
Founded by Dr. Calvin Mackie, STEM NOLA is dedicated to exposing, engaging, and inspiring students in grades K-12 to the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through hands-on programs and immersive learning experiences, STEM NOLA provides opportunities for students to build the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue careers in STEM fields. STEM Global Action, the nationwide expansion of STEM NOLA, aims to bring these experiences to communities across the U.S. and help develop a diverse and skilled workforce for the future.
Media Contact:
Mia Augillard
Director of Communications
STEM NOLA | STEM Global Action
maugillard@stemnola.com