Saturday, September 26
10:00 AM–3:00 PM.
Build the Valley • local STEM
OFF-GRID MESH IS A STEM PROJECT YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE.
Region 15's free STEM-A-Palooza is coming to Pomperaug High School in Southbury on Saturday, September 26. It is exactly the kind of local event that shows why radio, electronics, networking, mapping and solar power belong in the same hands-on conversation.
Event information verified September 21, 2026.
Important: This is a No Bars Club community-interest post. It does not state or imply that No Bars Club is an exhibitor, sponsor or partner of STEM-A-Palooza.
Event details
Pomperaug High School
234 Judd Road, Southbury, Connecticut.
Free and open to the public
Region 15 describes the event as hands-on STEM for learners of all ages.
Why mesh networking belongs in STEM
A small LoRa mesh project touches several disciplines at once: radio propagation, antennas, embedded computers, batteries, solar power, GPS, maps, networking, firmware and real-world testing. A student can change antenna placement or node height and then observe what happened instead of only reading about it.
A simple future NBC demo could teach five things at once
1. Send a message without cellular service
Two preconfigured nodes make the concept immediately understandable.
2. Change distance and obstacles
Move one node and compare how terrain, buildings and height affect reception.
3. Map what was heard
Turn radio observations into a basic coverage experiment.
4. Power it differently
Compare USB power, batteries and a properly designed solar setup.
5. Build responsibly
Talk about permissions, safe mounting, privacy and maintaining infrastructure instead of treating deployment as a stunt.
Build the Valley
Schools, libraries, makers and local businesses can help.
No Bars Club is building toward approachable local meetups, node-building sessions and responsible infrastructure across the Valley.
Official event source
Event date, time, location, admission and public description come from Pomperaug Regional School District 15. Official STEM-A-Palooza information ↗. No Bars Club is independent from Region 15 and claims no affiliation or endorsement.