June 15-17, 2026 | Orlando, Florida
Let's Kick Off With Big Ideas & Inspiration
This capacity-building workshop is for Teen Science Cafe Network site leaders only.
Where: Buena Vista Rooms 1&2 at the Buena Vista Suites Hotel
Note, Teen Science Cafe Network Participants can pick up their badges between 4:00pm – 6:00pm on Sunday and 8:00am – 9:00am at the Buena Vista Suites, outside of Buena Vista Rooms 1 & 2.
Once you arrive, please make sure to pick up your badge at the registration table set up in the Caribbean Ballroom at the Caribe Royale.
Where: Caribbean Ballroom – Registration East, Caribe Royale
BY INVITATION ONLY. This event is for Flight Crew members and invited guests only, designed as a STEM career networking event.
Where: Caribbean VI & VII, Caribe Royale
Kick off Inspire Momentum with an evening of connection, inspiration, and celebration. Join fellow attendees for a networking reception featuring lawn games and opportunities to connect before the evening program begins promptly at 6:00 PM.
The seated program features interactive presentation “It’s Not Magic, It’s Science!” with Jay Flores, Global STEM Ambassador, founder of Invent The Change, and a star on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, as well as a keynote address from Neha Shukla, a former Flight Crew member who has become a nationally recognized voice in AI ethics.
The evening concludes with a special awards presentation honoring leaders who are expanding opportunities for young people through afterschool and summer STEM learning.
Dinner will be served.
Where: The Grove, Caribe Royale
Taking Experiential Learning to New Heights
Badge pick-up and registration will be open.
Where: Caribbean Ballroom Registration East
Start your day with a buffet breakfast and connect with fellow leaders as we fuel up for the work ahead.
Where: Caribbean I-III, Caribe Royale
This event is for EC² Project participants only. Participants will discuss opportunities and challenges related to their experience implementing the program.
Where: Boca III & IV, Caribe Royale
A cross-sector discussion moderated by Melissa Moritz on human-centered AI learning—what matters now and what it will take to scale AI literacy through afterschool and summer learning.
Featuring:
STEM Next Flight Crew members will interview Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr., the first African-American astronaut to walk in space. Snacks will be served during a break shortly before the presentation begins.
After this presentation, We’ll take a short bus ride to the Saturn V Ballroom for the Earth & Space Social.
Pause to recharge with a grab-and-go lunch before our trip to the Kennedy Space Center.
Field trip time! Please arrive at the meetup point to board your bus no later than 12:15 p.m.
Where: Porte Cochere, Caribe Royale
Participants will explore the Kennedy Space Center with interactive experiences and a scavenger hunt.
Where: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
This session is designed to give Inspire Momentum attendees an opportunity to hear directly from professionals working in and around the aerospace industry. Through personal stories and reflections, speakers will share what sparked their interest in STEM, the experiences and mentors that influenced their journey, the challenges they navigated, and the steps that led them to where they are today.
Where: Heroes & Legends Conference Facility, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Our exploration of Kennedy Space Center culminates in a reception highlighting how Earth & Space learning connects young people to real-world STEM. Dinner will be served.
Where: Apollo/Saturn V at Kennedy Space Center
Board buses for return to Caribe Royale. Estimated travel time is approximately 1 hour, depending on traffic.
From Insight to Implementation
If you are only attending events on Wednesday, registration will be open in the morning to receive your name tag.
In our last full-group gathering before heading into breakout sessions, we’ll discuss Career-Connected Learning and what’s up next in the field of afterschool STEM learning.
Choose one of the following breakout sessions:
Sparking Curiosity: Early Career Awareness for Young Learners (K–3) Where: Boca III & IV
Rewriting the Math Narrative to Unlock STEM Opportunity Where: Boca V & VI
From Awareness to Action: Advancing Career-Connected Learning Where: Boca VII
Activating Employer Partnerships to Strengthen Career Pathways Where: Boca VIII
From OST to Employment: Launching High School Youth into Career Pathways Where: Boca III & IV
Meeting the AI Moment in OST Where: Boca V & VI
Designing Professional Learning for Career-Connected STEM Where: Boca VII
Using Data to Tell the Story of Impact Where: Boca VIII
Pick up a boxed lunch as you depart. Thank you for joining us to Inspire Momentum in afterschool and summer STEM!
The event is taking place at the Caribe Royale Orlando, located at 8101 World Center Drive, Orlando, Florida 32821.
See the PDF Caribe Royale Property Map here.
An interactive map is also available.
First, contact Perk directly using the information in your welcome email. If you still need assistance, please email us at events@stemnext.org
Please check in and pick up your badge at the registration desk at the Caribbean Ballroom Registration East at the Caribe Royale. Registration is open:
Teen Science Cafe Network Participants can pick up their badges between 4:00pm – 6:00pm on Sunday and 8:00am – 9:00am on Monday at the Buena Vista Suites, outside of Buena Vista Rooms 1 & 2.
Unless you have been instructed otherwise, Inspire Momentum will start with our opening Welcome Celebration at 5pm on June 15, and concludes at 12:15pm on June 17.
Attendees will be taking group buses to the Kennedy Space Center. The ride will take approximately 1 hour each way.
The dress code will be business casual. While Orlando will be hot and humid in June, be prepared for air-conditioned meeting rooms. Monday night’s reception will be held outside and is polished summer casual.
General participants will receive dinner on Monday, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Tuesday, and breakfast and lunch on Wednesday. Flight Crew and other participants may receive additional meals based on their individual schedules.
If you have a specific allergy or concern, please contact events@stemnext.org.
There will be signs directing you to where sessions take place within the conference center, as well as STEM Next staff available to guide you.
STEM Next staff will be available at the registration desk throughout the conference. You can also email events@stemnext.org.
Yes. Please email communications@stemnext.org if you are a member of the media and interested in attending the event.
