In partnership with 4-H Henrico. Ten in-person community workshops at Deep Run Recreation Center, every other Wednesday.
Through our partnership with 4-H Henrico, FutureVitals brings science out of the textbook and into students’ hands through a 10-workshop community STEM series for elementary and middle school students.
Held every other Wednesday at Deep Run Recreation Center, each session introduces a new area of biology, medicine, chemistry, or health science through experiments, demonstrations, and interactive learning. Students don’t just hear about scientific concepts. They test, observe, build, question, and discover them for themselves.
10 workshops • Every other Wednesday • Elementary & middle school • In-person STEM
From extracting DNA from strawberries and exploring gel electrophoresis to investigating pH and modeling how blood moves through the body, every workshop turns a scientific idea into an experience students can actually participate in.
Across the series, students explore DNA and genetics, anatomy, neuroscience, circulation, chemistry, bioinformatics, scientific investigation, and health while building the curiosity and problem-solving skills that make science meaningful beyond the classroom.
Biology Medicine Chemistry Genetics Anatomy Bioinformatics Health science
Ten in-person workshops throughout the year give students repeated opportunities to experiment, collaborate, ask questions, and experience different areas of STEM firsthand.
Explore each workshop belowStudents were introduced to one of the most widely used techniques in modern biology by exploring gel electrophoresis. Through hands-on activities, participants learned how scientists separate and analyze DNA and discovered how this technology is used in genetics, medicine, and forensic science.
Blood Flow & Electrical Conduction
Students explored how the heart pumps blood throughout the body while learning about circulation, oxygen transport, and the heart’s electrical conduction system. Interactive demonstrations helped students visualize how the cardiovascular system keeps every organ functioning.
Acids, Bases & Chemical Reactions
Through colorful experiments and interactive demonstrations, students investigated the fascinating world of acids and bases while learning how pH influences everyday life, biology, medicine, and chemistry.
Students discovered how biology and computer science work together to solve modern healthcare challenges. The workshop introduced computational biology, biological data, DNA sequencing, and the growing role of technology in scientific discovery.
Students became geneticists for the day by extracting DNA from strawberries through a fun, hands-on laboratory activity. Along the way, they learned about DNA structure, genetics, and why every living organism contains genetic information.
The second half of our workshop series is still to come! Upcoming sessions will continue introducing students to exciting topics across biology, medicine, chemistry, and biomedical science through engaging experiments and collaborative activities.
We are officially halfway through our 10-workshop STEM series! With five exciting workshops completed, students have already explored genetics, anatomy, chemistry, and computational biology through engaging hands-on activities. We look forward to continuing the series over the coming weeks as students discover even more fascinating areas of science and medicine.
I loved getting to extract DNA from a strawberry because I’d never done a real science experiment like that before. Every workshop has something different, and it’s made science one of my favorite subjects.
Workshop ParticipantThe workshops have been incredibly engaging and well organized. My child comes home excited to explain what they learned after every session, and it’s been wonderful watching their interest in STEM continue to grow.
ParentThis STEM workshop series is proudly presented in partnership with 4-H Henrico, whose commitment to experiential learning and youth development helps make these engaging, hands-on science experiences possible. Together, we are inspiring the next generation of scientists, innovators, and lifelong learners.
4-H Henrico
