America’s Got STEM Talent!
Posted on March 14th, 2018 by Mary Lord
One developed a mathematical model that predicts the spread of potato blight. Another examined the response of lung cells to electronic cigarettes. The teens who topped this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search come from 31 schools in 15 states. But all underscore the importance of elementary science instruction – an advantage few U.S. students currently enjoy, a new report notes.
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Tags: Education Commission of the States, Grades 9-12, Intel Science Talent Search, movies, Regeneron Science Talent Search, research for students, Resources for Teachers, Science Fair Projects, STEM education, Videos
Participation among high school students in science fairs appears to be declining. Ironically, many science teachers fault the Obama administration. Even as the White House promotes science fairs, the administration’s policies hold schools accountable for math and reading scores at the expense of creative science, they say. 
A science fair is generally a competition where contestants present their science project results in the form of a report, display board, and models that they have created. Science fairs allow students in grade schools and high schools to compete in science and/or technology activities.
Science Fair history began when journalist E.W. Scripps created Science Services as a nonprofit organization in 1921. Through Science Service’s efforts, junior academies of science, museums, and local science clubs throughout the United States were enrolled in Science Clubs of America. As a result over 600,000 young scientists were organized into 25,000 science clubs.
Thousands throng to Maker Faire, an annual Bay Area celebration of hackers, inventors, and do-it-yourself creators. And now, middle and high school students are joining in. One result: Saphira, an 8 1/2-foot-tall, fire-breathing dragon.
The NFPA Fluid Power Challenge is a competition that challenges eighth grade students to solve an engineering problem using fluid power. They work in teams to design and build a fluid power mechanism, and then compete against other teams in a timed competition.
Semiconductor manufacturer Broadcom will spend $6 million over six years to fund a new STEM competition, the Broadcom MASTERS, focusing on 6th, 7th, and 8th-graders. In its first year, Broadcom expects 7,500 students from 350 science fairs across the country will be nominated for the contest.
Teachers will find a wealth of science fair resources at Science Fair Central, part of the classroom resources offered by Discovery Channel. Separate sections of this page include: Idea finder, Project timeline, and Virtual lab. Guidelines for parents and science fair coordinators are included, as well as help on the various steps in undertaking a science project.
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