Ruth Patrick Science Education Center

09/03/2026

🌌 September Saturday Nights at the DuPont Planetarium! ✨🚀
Join us for an evening under the dome on September 5, 12 & 26!
🌙 7:00 PM – Magic Tree House: Space Mission
Travel with Jack and Annie as they set out to answer questions about space, the Moon, the Sun, and the stars!
⭐ 8:00 PM – Ancient Sky Lore
Journey back in time and discover the stories, legends, and beliefs that ancient cultures connected to the night sky.
⭐ 9:00 PM – Seven Wonders
Explore the ancient wonders of the world and glimpse spectacular sights of the universe

📅 September 5, 12 & 26
📍 DuPont Planetarium at USC Aiken

Bring your family and friends and spend a Saturday evening exploring the wonders of the night sky! 🔭🌠

Information and Reservations: https://www.usca.edu/rpsec/departments/planetarium/

08/31/2026

🔬 20 DAYS UNTIL SEED!
Get ready to Explore, Discover & Imagine at the 41st Annual SEED STEM Festival!
More than 70 organizations are coming together for a day filled with hands-on STEM fun for the entire family.
📅 Saturday, September 19
⏰ 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
📍 USC Aiken
🎟️ FREE!
Learn more: SEEDSTEMFestival.org

08/31/2026

The SC Energy Office is excited to announce its first statewide K-12 poster contest!

The contest theme, Energy: Beyond the Outlet, encourages students to explore where energy comes from and how it is generated, distributed, consumed, and conserved in South Carolina. Through their poster entries, students are challenged to apply critical thinking and creatively express the theme, strengthening energy literacy skills that will serve them for years to come.

Students in grades K-12 enrolled in a public, private, tribal, or home school in South Carolina are eligible to participate. Entries will be evaluated for accuracy, visual impact, theme interpretation, originality, and aesthetics. Winners from each of the following grade groups will be selected: K-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th. Each category winner will receive a prize designed to encourage continued exploration of energy concepts.

Entries must be received by 5:00 PM ET on November 20, 2026. For full contest guidelines and submission details, visit the SCEO website. https://energy.sc.gov/postercontest

08/27/2026

🔬🌎 Community support makes STEM education possible!

We are incredibly grateful to Bridgestone for its continued investment in the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center and the students we serve throughout the CSRA.

Bridgestone recently contributed more than $77,000 to support our Environmental Education Program, helping K–12 students step outside the classroom, explore the natural world, and experience science through hands-on learning. 🌿🔬

But this partnership goes far beyond one year. For 27 years, Bridgestone has invested nearly $2 million in STEM education through the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center.

Support like this makes a difference. It provides students with opportunities to explore, discover, ask questions, solve problems, and see themselves as future scientists, engineers, and STEM professionals.

Strong STEM education takes a strong community—and we are fortunate to have community partners who believe in our students and invest in their future.

Thank you, Bridgestone, for 27 years of partnership and for helping us inspire the next generation of STEM thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators across the CSRA! 💚🎓

Kids across the CSRA get to be scientists for a day, thanks to Bridgestone! 🔬🚗

Bridgestone just gave more than $77,000 to USCA's Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, keeping their Environmental Education Program rolling for K-12 students across the region hands-on learning, right in nature, built just for their grade level.

Add it up: 27 years, nearly $2 million invested. That's a real commitment to CSRA kids.

Thank you, Bridgestone, for helping grow the region's next generation of scientists and engineers! 🎓

08/25/2026

Join the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center for a rare lunar eclipse the night of August 27 beginning at 9:15 PM. Visit the eclipse webpage for more details. https://www.usca.edu/rpsec/events-programs/eclipses/

08/21/2026

Check out our tv spot courtesy of our Children First Partners WJBF and Bridgestone.

08/17/2026

Two More August Show Dates!
✨ Escape the heat and explore the universe this August at the DuPont Planetarium! 🌎🌙⭐
Join us every Saturday evening in August for an unforgettable lineup of planetarium shows perfect for all ages!
Whether you're introducing a child to the stars, exploring nature, or reliving a rock classic under the dome, there's a show for everyone!
📍 DuPont Planetarium at USC Aiken
🎟️ Bring your family and friends for an evening that's truly out of this world!
Reservations and Information: https://www.usca.edu/rpsec/departments/planetarium/public-shows/

✨ Escape the heat and explore the universe this August at the DuPont Planetarium! 🌎🌙⭐

Join us every Saturday evening in August for an unforgettable lineup of planetarium shows perfect for all ages!

Whether you're introducing a child to the stars, exploring nature, or reliving a rock classic under the dome, there's a show for everyone!

📍 DuPont Planetarium at USC Aiken
🎟️ Bring your family and friends for an evening that's truly out of this world!

Reservations and Information: https://www.usca.edu/rpsec/departments/planetarium/public-shows/

08/13/2026

🚨 🚨🚨Aiken County teachers APPLY TODAY 🚨🚨🚨
Use the QR code or link to apply ✍️🏽 🏃‍♀️💨
Link to Teacher Grant Page: https://pepaiken.org/teacher-success/