2025 BioBlitz
BioBlitz: Nature of Acton and Boxborough April 2025
Please join the Nature of Acton and Boxborough 2025 Bioblitz! This is a fun activity for your family and to celebrate Earth Week. We invite you to document and celebrate biodiversity in Acton and Boxborough. Last year 26 participants made almost 1000 observations and identified over 500 species in the Acton and Boxborough area.
A BioBlitz is a race against time to create a snapshot of the variety of life found in a specific location. Wildlife experts and citizen scientists, find and identify as many species of plants, animals and fungi as possible in the area within a set amount of time.
Follow these steps to join:
1. Create an account on the iNaturalist website using your phone or computer.
2. Join our Project with this link or search for Nature of Acton and Boxborough April 2025. (Please make sure you are joining the 2025 project, not the 2024 project!)
3. Snap away at any plant, animal or fungus you see and get it on our list.
Can we break 500 species this year? Who can ID the most? Taking observations of wildlife helps advance science too! According to National Geographic, “High quality data uploaded to iNaturalist become part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, an open source database used by scientists and policy makers around the world.”
Note: We are opening the window on April 18 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Samuel Prescott’s ride (and Paul Revere’s Ride) to Acton. But the Boston Area City Nature Challenge will only count observations from April 25 to 28, so it’s important to make observations during that time period as well. For more information about the Boston Area CNC, visit: https://www.bostoncnc.org/.
The Acton-Boxborough area includes more than 2,000 acres of conservation land and over 3,000 acres of private property. From cattail marshes and ponds to fields and forests, these habitats are home to snapping turtles, frogs, insects, birds and mammals. How many species can we find?
Taking observations of wildlife helps advance science. According to National Geographic, “High quality data uploaded to iNaturalist becomes part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, an open source database used by scientists and policy makers around the world.”
Find out more at https://www.actonpip.org/events/green-events.
AB STEAM Student Hackathon
Help Reduce the Impacts of Flooding!
Calling all Students and Residents: Enter the Hack-A-Thon
Join a Team - Make a Team – Earn Community Service Hours -
Give Back to your Town - Develop strategies to reduce flooding!
Problem to Solve: How can we reduce flooding - and the impacts of flooding - in Acton in a manner that is economical, sustainable, and socially and environmentally friendly?
Dates: May 2025 – February 2026
AB STEAM, with help from Integral Charitable Foundation, is working with Town of Acton Sustainability Office & Acton Conservation Division in partnership with EnergizeActon.org and the local community to develop strategies to reduce flooding.
For more info, email actonpip@gmail.com
8th Annual Acton Children's Business Fair
Observe the opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business!
Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace.
We will host 100+ booths at the 8th annual event on September-20th from 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Interested entrepreneurs can apply here: Acton Children's Business Fair Acton, MA | Children's Business Fair Nara Park, Acton, MA 01720, USA - September 2025
AB STEAM is a supporter and collaborator of the Acton Children’s Business Fair.
Don’t have a business idea but want to help Organizing? We are looking for student volunteers who would like to help organize this event. Students will learn more about organizing an event as well as earn community hours. Interested students can apply here: AB STEAM
DiscoverSTEM 2025
DiscoverSTEM 2025 Open House
DiscoverSTEM is a reverse science fair set up like a trade show where local STEM companies exhibit the latest technologies for students in grades 7 through 12 and the community.
Students can view the exhibits or volunteer to work side-by-side with exhibitors during the Open House. Exhibitors are representatives from local STEM firms (engineers, scientists and techies) who teach the student volunteers about their products, services, ideas and inventions and share their passion for STEM. Exhibitors and students then demonstrate their knowledge. The event is held from 6:00 to 8:30pm at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School and culminates in a raffle with fantastic prizes.
U.S. Physics Team Test
The U.S. Physics Team Test(USPT 2025) will be held February 12, 2025, 4:15 – 6:00pm at AB STEAM, 136 Great Road, Acton MA. Any students interested in taking the test should contact us at actonpip@gmail.com.
Spaces are limited. Students must register by January 16.
10 students (7 ready to enroll)
75 minute test
Donation: $25/student for test. Scholarships available.
Proctor: Ruchi Jain
Radium Girls Production at Theater III
A true story about amazing brave women and their contributions to science and workplace plus occupational safety and protection.
Astronomy in the Park
Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston will be on the fields of NARA with some incredible telescopes for a family star party. The moon will be at its first quarter phase and Jupiter will be rising in the early evening skies with Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune already up for viewing!
This event is open to everyone and perfect for families, but no pets please. Families with 7th graders are encouraged to attend, as Astronomy is part of the 7th grade curriculum. Ages 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult! Dress warmly… bring several layers and perhaps a hat and gloves. We will be outdoors with plenty of hot beverages and other refreshments for you to enjoy.
Bring a headlamp or flashlight with a red light source to protect our night vision. We’ll have red cellophane available to cover white light sources. We ask that you follow these flashlight etiquette rules:
Use a small one to keep the stray light low.
Point it toward the ground only.
Cover it with several layers of red cellophane or use a red LED light. Red light doesn’t affect our adaptation to night vision unless it’s too bright or pointed directly into someone’s eyes.
Stars for Starters: Book Reading
Join us at the library on Wednesday, November 6 (early release day) for astronomy basics. The AML Children’s Librarian, Robert Carter, will host a "Stars for Starters" book reading in the 1st floor meeting room. For elementary students and their parents or guardians
2024 Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to our six graduating AB seniors and AB STEAM scholarship recipients! Co-chairs Dawn Peterson and Karen Pierce with this year's grads are pictured below.
The scholarship winners and their intended universities include:
Mohana Bhuvanagiri, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Naty Fantahun, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Kimaya Gazula, Boston University
Owen Pierce, University of Vermont
Ajay Raina, Northeastern University
Shruthika Muthukumar Veena, University of Pittsburgh