Inaugural Fusion Gala for STEM Education

A black tie affair is coming to the Emerald Coast Convention Center for Valentine’s Day Weekend! The inaugural event will raise awareness to prepare the next generation for careers in high-demand fields that will strengthen the region and transform tomorrows workforce.

The Fusion Gala, slated for Saturday, February 15, 2020, features several influential speakers. From 5:30 until 9:00 P.M., the fanciful evening will flow through a cocktail reception, hors d’oeuvres, silent auction, plated dinner, and musical performance by students from the Sinfonia Gulf Coast Youth Orchestra. During the reception, guests will also enjoy hands on experiences with drones, robotics, and demonstrations from local business organizations.

The gala is organized by a coalition of educational organizations from Northwest Florida, collectively called Innov8+, who share the common goal of inspiring today’s students to aggressively pursue solutions to tomorrow’s problems. Innov8+ programs uniquely fuse student learning and professional experience, creating a pathway between the classroom and practical application.

The Innov8+ Fusion Gala and STEM Community Expo will provide a platform for community awareness and industry engagement that accelerates our combined influence on creating a strong future workforce. From 10:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M., enjoy a free Community STEM Expo showcasing new and exciting STEM outreach programs! The Community STEM Expo will bring families together to enjoy and participate in a showcase of new and exciting Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) outreach programs such as FIRST® Robotics and Drone Team Challenge, including hands on activities that feature the innovative applications of STEM utilized by local businesses, industry employers, and organizations.

Purchase individual tickets to the gala for $150 or choose to become a tax-deductible sponsor. All proceeds from the Fusion Gala will be used to expand and implement valuable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs, approved and carried out by the Innov8+ Steering Committee representative organizations.

The Innov8+ steering committee includes the Air Force Research Laboratory, Boys & Girls Club of the Emerald Coast, Doolittle Institute, Emerald Coast Robotics Alliance, Emerald Coast Science Center, HSU Educational Foundation, and Okaloosa County School District Career and Technical Education. The HSU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, is the fiduciary for Innov8+.

Learn more about Innov8+ and the Fusion Gala and purchase tickets at www.fusiongala850.org. To donate items to the Fusion Gala silent auction, please contact Diane Fraser at diane@ecscience.org. If you wish to become a sponsor, please contact innov8@fusiongala850.org.