I’ve just thought of an idea that I think fits into “PR +Science” best, but could really expand out.
Every year in elementary school, I had to do a ‘science’ project. Cardboard stand-up display, charts, graphs, baking-soda-and-vinegar volcano type stuff.
A quick google search tells me that there are 18 elementary schools within 5 miles of the MS. I’m sure that they have some promising students, whose hard work gets displayed for an afternoon in the school gym and then unceremoniously dumped.
It would in my mind be a good idea and fun thing to ask the teachers to recommend a small selection of students from their schools (2 each?) to participate in a Makerspace Kids science fair. The hard work has already been put in, and the recognition could go a long way toward pushing a student into great things.
We set up the interactive with tables, which could probably hold 20-30 or so displays, and ask each of them to prepare a 5-minute presentation on their subject to be displayed (might be tough to move them in and out though) in the lecture hall. It’d make for a full Saturday of activities for sure.
This could also work well for Art classes, or High School shop classes (if those still exist) as well.