student stem challenges

2 Student STEM Challenges Open Now

Join in some powerful student challenges! Discovery Education has two student challenges happening now. In this post, Iโ€™ll give you an overview of the Stanley Black and Decker Making for Good Student Challenge, a STEAM project for grades 9-12 in the US. Iโ€™ll also give an overview of the CITGO Fueling Education Student Challenge for grades 5-8, also for students in the United States.ย 

student stem challenges

This blog post is sponsored by Discovery Education and the Stanley Black and Decker Making for Good Student Challenge and the CITGO Fueling Education Student Challenge. All opinions are my own.

As educators, we know that an audience can unleash powerful creativity in students. Both of these challenges inspire students to tackle real-world problems and create solutions. In addition, students will create a โ€œpitchโ€ video as part of their submission package. (Stay tuned for a blog post with tips about making great student pitch videos.)

Making for Good Student Challenge

Stanley Black and Decker Making for Good Student Challenge

Submission Period: Now through Thursday, January 30, 2020

Resource Link: https://www.innovation-gen.com/student-challenge/about-challenge

Who is eligible to apply?

The competition is open to all legal U.S. residents who are students enrolled in 9th – 12th grade in one of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia.

What are the challenge requirements?

Jump into STEAM innovation and work in teams of two to four to design a product solution that will help solve an environmental or societal problem in your home, school, community or global population. Then, create a product design blueprint and submit a 60 to a 90-second video discussing the problem, how your product can help solve it and your teamโ€™s process using the 6-step engineering design process: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Test and Improve!

How will this be judged? What are the prizes?

Judges will select a winning team based on their ability to demonstrate a fresh approach and clear STEAM and engineering skills to solve a real-world problem, weighing how well the solution aligns with the two key topic areas and meets engineering standards, including in product design. Judging will also consider the clarity, thoughtfulness and effectiveness of the teamโ€™s communication of the problem and the impact their solution will have.

Challenge Prizes

  • ย  ย  Grand Prize: One team receives a total of $15,000 and an exclusive Stanley Black and Decker Virtual Mentorship
  • ย  ย  2nd Place: One team receives a total of $10,000 and a Stanley Black and Decker Prize Pack
  • ย  ย  3rd Place: One team receives a total of $5,000 and a Stanley Black and Decker Prize Pack

How do you enter?

To enter, students must submit a 60 to a 90-second video describing a solution to a home, school, community or global problem that relates to the two key topic areas: Societal and Environmental Needs.

Entry Steps:

  • ย Students and parents review the official challenge rules.
  • Students build their challenge team and identify a problem in their home, school, community or global population that solves one of the topic areas.
  • Students collaborate to develop an innovative product design to solve or improve the problem and create a 60 to a 90-second video showcasing the problem and solution.
  • Students upload their video to YouTube to get a URL for submission.
  • Students create an account with Making for Good Challenge in order to submit their video with the help of a parent or guardian.
  • Parents provide an email address, their studentโ€™s first and last names and a username for the account.
  • Parents complete a parental consent form. At least one form per team is required.
  • Parents share student access to submit their materials.
  • Students submit their solution video link to their Making for Good Challenge profile.
Join the Stanley Black and Decker Making for Good Student Challenge with your US-based grades 9-12 students now through January 30, 2020.

CITGO Fueling Education Student Challenge

CITGO Fueling Education Student Challenge

Submission Period: Now through February 13, 2020.

Resource Link: https://www.fuelingeducation.com/student-challenge/about-challenge

Who is eligible to apply?

The competition is open to all legal U.S. residents who are students enrolled in grades 5-8 located in one of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia.

What are the challenge requirements?

Turn your passion for your community into an actionable plan for a sustainable future with the Fueling Education Student Challenge. Work independently or in a team of 2 โ€“ 4 to solve the problems of tomorrowโ€”today. Join CITGO on their mission to inspire the next generation of community-conscious innovators and put your skills and knowledge to the test to make a lasting positive impact on the people and places that matter to you the most.

How will this be judged? What are the prizes?

ย Judges will select a winning individual or team based on their ability to creatively solve an ongoing sustainability issue in their communities. Judges will weigh studentsโ€™ abilities to convey sustainable thinking and STEM/engineering skills in their idea or prototype creation and how they communicate their unique solution.

Challenge Prizes

  • ย  ย  Grand Prize: One team or individual receives a total of $20,000
  • ย  ย  2nd Place: One team or individual receives a total of $10,000
  • ย  ย  3rd Place: One team or individual receives a total of $5,000

School Prizing: Schools with five or more entries will be put into a random drawing for a chance to win a $2,000 scholarship. One winning school will be selected.

How do you enter?

To enter, students must submit a 1-2 minute video describing a STEM solution to a home, school, community or global problem that relates to one of the four topic areas: Safety & Well-Being, Quality Education, Sustainable Cities & Communities and Life on Land.

Entry Steps:

  • Students and parents review the official challenge rules.
  • Students work individually or gather their team and identify a sustainability issue in their communities that aligns with the U.N. Sustainability Development Goals.
  • Students develop an innovative product design to solve or improve the problem and create a 1 โ€“ 2 minute video showcasing the problem and solution.
  • Students upload their video to YouTube to get a URL for submission.
  • Students create an account with Fueling Education Challenge in order to submit their video with the help of a parent or guardian.
  • Parents provide an email address, their studentโ€™s first and last name(s) and a username for the account.
  • Parents complete a parental consent form. At least one form per team is required.
  • Parents share student access to submit their materials.
  • Students submit their solution video link to their Fueling Education Challenge profile.

Join the CITGO Fueling Education Student Challenge with your US-based grades 9-12 students now through February 13, 2020.

Take the Challenge!

Here are two great challenges to help encourage STEM and STEAM learning in your school. Join today!

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a โ€œsponsored podcast episode.โ€ The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissionโ€™s 16 CFR, Part 255: โ€œGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis is a full-time classroom teacher and IT Director in Georgia, USA. She is Mom of three, wife of one, and loves talking about the wise, transformational use of technology for teaching and doing good in the world. She hosts the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast which interviews teachers around the world about remarkable classroom practices to inspire and help teachers. Vicki focuses on what unites us -- a quest for truly remarkable life-changing teaching and learning. The goal of her work is to provide actionable, encouraging, relevant ideas for teachers that are grounded in the truth and shared with love. Vicki has been teaching since 2002 and blogging since 2005. Vicki has spoken around the world to inspire and help teachers reach their students. She is passionate about helping every child find purpose, passion, and meaning in life with a lifelong commitment to the joy and responsibility of learning. If you talk to Vicki for very long, she will encourage you to "Relate to Educate" or "innovate like a turtle" or to be "a remarkable teacher." She loves to talk to teachers who love their students and are trying to do their best. Twitter is her favorite place to share and she loves to make homemade sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls and enjoys running half marathons with her sisters. You can usually find her laughing with her students or digging into a book.

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