Geothermal Discovery Day: Engaging the Next Generation at GRC

The future of the geothermal industry relies on raising community awareness and reaching the next generation of thinkers and doers. At the 2025 Geothermal Rising Conference (GRC) in Reno, Nevada, the workforce success committee successfully opened its doors, at no cost, to the public for "Geothermal Discovery Day," a gathering full of scientific exploration. We were ecstatic to welcome the 127 local community members and GRC affiliated folks who attended this wonderful event, many of whom were children who joined us without any previous education on geothermal.

The event kicked off at The Discovery Museum, offering a pizza party, during which the attendees received a quick, simple introduction to geothermal and why it matters. Families had free copies of “The Happy House” and coloring pages at their tables, and we were able to see the organic enthusiasm growing as they began to see the value of using the earth to save the earth. Including art and play in STEM learning makes it more accessible for youngsters, and this was a main theme for the day.

Following the pizza party, we hosted live science demonstrations, including one called “Drilling for Geothermal Cake,” led by Rochelle Longval which utilized a sheet cake that had been divided into a grid with frosting. The young attendees used clues to determine where to drill into the cake to find geothermal (symbolized by red velvet), which demonstrated the step-by-step process that goes into a geothermal project from conception to completion. After plenty of fun and some delicious cake, the kiddos were given full access to the museum's exhibits.

Once we’d all had our fill of the museum’s many activities and exhibits, families migrated to the Downtown Reno Public Library for interactive reading and art sessions. Activities included a face painter, coloring stations, and a reading of the children's books The Happy House by Egg Geo, and Our Hidden Powers by Kristina Hagstrom Illievska and Gabriella Skog of Baseload Capital. The library also hosted a geothermal-themed scavenger hunt featuring characters from Our Hidden Powers alongside characters from Egg Geo's own children’s book, The Happy House. We were glad to provide these activity books to support the day's educational goals.

A great deal of work, planning, and passion went into Geothermal Discovery Day, but I can confidently say that it was done with joy and excitement from start to finish. There is a shift in focus within this industry; it’s no longer a concentrated push for educating the policy makers and adjacent industries, but also includes community members and the rising generations.

The 2025 Geothermal Rising Conference was a success in countless ways, but as a company focused on education, we were thrilled to be included in the Discovery Day event. We firmly believe that leading by example by making community activities and resources accessible, and we take practical steps toward demystifying geothermal technologies for our neighbors and communities.

This blog post was brought to you by the GR Workforce Success Group, as part of an initiative to highlight community outreach success stories in the geothermal community. We are committed to fostering a collaborative community to create a brighter future for Earth and all its inhabitants. If you are interested in supporting Workforce Success, want to get involved, or have an idea for another blog post - reach out to Amelia Letvin at, amelia@geothermal.org 

Read more on the Workforce Success webpage: https://geothermal.org/our-impact/workforce-success 

For more information about attending this year's Geothermal Discovery Day, please see: https://geothermal.org/events/2026-geothermal-discovery-day