Calling all middle and high school teachers and students! Get engaged in STEM through our engineering design-based program, STEM Challenge. The STEM Challenge culminates in an Expo at the museum, where students present their work to content expert judges. Winning students will win scholarships to Florida public universities.
Online registration for the 2026-2027 STEM Challenge is now open. Register using the 2026-2027 STEM Challenge Registration Form.
2026-2027 STEM Challenge
Sustainable Energy Generation and Use
Energy makes modern life possible, powering our homes, technologies, transportation systems, and more. However, a lot of energy generation methods and energy use have negative impacts. The future of sustainable energy will be shaped by the next generation of problem-solvers. This year’s STEM Challenge encourages students to investigate, design, and innovate as they explore what the future of sustainable energy could look like.
2026-2027 STEM Challenge Prompts:
- Astronomy: In space, access to Earth-based energy sources, like fossil fuels, is limited. Because of this, scientists are looking for new ways to study and use space-based energy sources as an alternative. Develop a way to expand our ability to observe, capture, or use energy in space.
- Health: Hospitals require constant energy to sustain vital support systems. Currently, hospitals primarily rely on generators in case of power shortages or emergencies. Create a way for hospitals to become more self-sustaining and off-the-grid in case of wide-spread or long-term power outages.
- Marine Science: There are many different ways that the ocean and its resources can be used to generate energy. However, accessing or generating energy can negatively impact marine ecosystems. Create a way to reduce or mitigate negative environmental impacts caused by energy production or create a more sustainable alternative to current energy generation methods in marine environments.
- Geology: Places that experience frequent tectonic activity can use the heat generated by the Earth’s core to produce geothermal energy. However, not all places on Earth have access to this energy. Develop a way that places with less tectonic activity can gain access to geothermal energy. This can include new methods or more sustainable versions of current methods used for energy generation and transfer.
- April 20, 2026: Registration opens
- September 2026: Professional learning for participating teachers
- Fall 2026-Spring 2027: Classroom-based project work
- May 1, 2027: STEM Challenge Expo at Frost Science
- Computer Science
- Environmental Science
- STEM Research Elective
- AP Biology
- Marine Science
- Ecology
- Health Science
- Earth and Space Science Honors
Participating teachers will:
- Attend a professional learning workshop in summer or fall 2026.
- Use the resources provided to guide their students through the STEM Challenge.
- Facilitate the STEM Challenge throughout the school year.
- Submit at least one student project as part of the STEM Challenge.
- Receive a $500 stipend to purchase materials for student projects.
Participating students will:
- Choose a track and question to answer.
- Work in small groups or individually to complete the challenge.
- Have teachers submit their projects to the STEM Challenge for judging.
- If invited to the STEM Challenge Expo, present their work to judges at Frost Science.
- First, second and third place winners, top oral presentations and top models will receive a college scholarship.
Receive your M-DCPS STE(A)M Designation through participation in this challenge with the following engagements:
- Professional Learning Experiences in September 2026.
- Free field trip and Learning Lab for 30 students to Frost Science.
- Free outreach to your classroom.
- Virtual Meet the Museum Scientist opportunity.
- Participation in the STEM Challenge Expo with students.
Coming soon
- For the 2026-2027 school year, students participating in the Junior STEM Challenge will complete the same project as high school students. In the future, Frost Science will modify this challenge to better fit a middle school audience. The Junior STEM Challenge aims to prepare students for the STEM Challenge in their high school years, serving as meaningful practice to hone their skills.
- Middle school teachers participating in the Junior STEM Challenge will receive the same guidebook with activities and additional resources as high school teachers. Teachers will be responsible for adapting these resources for their students.
- We cannot guarantee a stipend for teachers participating in the Junior STEM Challenge, as the program is being extended to serve this audience on request. Whether the stipend is offered to middle school teachers depends on the number of high school registrations for the STEM Challenge and will be communicated once the registration process is complete.
- Students participating in the Junior STEM Challenge will be judged separately from the STEM Challenge. Winning students will receive different prizes from their high school counterparts.
- To participate in the Junior STEM Challenge, all students must complete their project as part of a group. The Junior STEM Challenge will only accept individual applicants on special request and they will be judged with their group counterparts.
- To register for the Junior STEM Challenge, fill out the registration form.
Submitted student projects will be judged virtually and in-person during a two-round judging process. These judges will help determine which students earn scholarships through the program.
Round 1: Virtual Judging
Student projects will be submitted digitally by their teachers before the first round of judging. Judges participating in round one will attend a 1-hour virtual training session before being divided into groups. Each group will review a portion of the STEM Challenge project submissions. Round 1 judges will meet with their assigned group to discuss which students will be moving on to round 2 of judging at the museum on April 18, 2026. Virtual judges will receive four guest passes to Frost Science for their participation.
Round 2: In-person Judging at the STEM Challenge Expo (April 2027)
The second round of judging will occur at the STEM Challenge Expo. During this round of judging, groups of judges will review student projects and presentations in-person. Judges will then deliberate and determine the STEM Challenge winners. In-person judges will receive free parking, four passes to Frost Science, and complementary refreshments and lunch during the event.
Judge Requirements
Judges must have at least a bachelor’s degree and are encouraged to have experience in education, any STEM discipline, or, ideally, experience in one of the four disciplines of the STEM Challenge: astronomy, paleontology, marine science, or health.
Applying to be a Judge
If you are interested in becoming a judge for the STEM Challenge, fill out the judging application, please email Meg Teuber mteuber@frostscience.org.
STEM Challenge projects will be evaluated in a rigorous two-stage judging process. While the first round of judging will occur virtually, the second round of judging will be held in-person at Frost Science. Winners of the STEM Challenge will receive college scholarships through Florida Prepaid. The scholarship amounts are as follows:
Individual Project Winners
- 1st Place: 4-year Florida University Plan
- 2nd Place: 3-year Florida University Plan
- 3rd Place: 2-year Florida University Plan
- Top Oral Presentation: 1-year Florida University Plan
- Top Model: 1-year Florida University Plan
Group Project Winners
- 1st Place: 3-year Florida University Plan
- 2nd Place: 2-year Florida University Plan
- 3rd Place: 2-year Florida University Plan
- Top Oral Presentation: 1-year Florida University Plan
- Top Model: 1-year Florida University Plan
Junior STEM Challenge Project Winners
- 1st Place: 1-year Florida University Plan
- 2nd Place: 1-year Florida University Plan
- 3rd Place: 1-year Florida University Plan
For winners to receive college scholarships through Florida Prepaid, they must have a valid Social Security Number, be less than 21 years of age, not have graduated high school, be a FL resident for 1+ year, and be a US citizen. If the winning student does not meet one of these criteria, Frost Science will work directly with the student to distribute the scholarship. Scholarships not distributed through Florida Prepaid will not qualify for the matched scholarship value and will be of lesser value.
Florida University Plans distributed through Florida Prepaid are designed to be used at public Florida state universities but may be applied to tuition at private and out-of-state schools. When these scholarships are applied to private and out-of-state schools, their monetary value will be applied to student tuition and will not cover the 1-to-4-year value that they would at a Florida state university.
STEM Challenge Events
