Show-me SCIENCE
A collaborative effort of all regional science fairs and STEM stakeholders who are invested in developing innovators and future STEM talent in Missouri.
Missouri is at a crossroads for STEM education and STEM workforce development. Absent a significant increase in funding, the state will fall further behind when it comes to providing in-depth STEM opportunities for 6th-12th grade students and promoting scientific inquiry and innovation across the state.
Urgent action and funding are needed to:
– Ensure Missouri’s existing regional science fair network is able to exist beyond 2026
– Establish a statewide research, innovation, and engineering competition to launch in 2027
How We Got Here
Earlier this year, the Missouri legislature passed a bill that would have created and provided funding for the first ever Missouri state science fair. (Missouri is one of only ten states that do not have a state science competition.)
Part of a broad initiative aimed at strengthening the state’s STEM efforts, the bill also would have expanded access to high-quality in-depth STEM education for students ACROSS the state by strengthening existing regional science fairs and also supporting and training teachers.
Unfortunately, the bill was vetoed. That critical funding will not be coming.
The consequences will be dire. Without funding, 3 of Missouri’s 8 regional fairs will close after 2026. And the creation of a state science competition will not happen.
Students across the state, particularly those in under-resourced areas, will miss out on important and consequential STEM learning opportunities. And Missouri will miss out on developing potential scientists and STEM professionals.
Science Coach Launches Campaign
Given the urgency of the situation, Science Coach has stepped up to lead the charge to raise funds and awareness to save and support our state’s science competition network. We are pulling together individuals and entities in Missouri’s STEM space to maximize the fundraising.
Show-Me SCIENCE – is the collaborative effort of all regional science fairs and STEM stakeholders who are invested in developing innovators and future STEM talent in Missouri.
Why Science Projects and Competitions Are So Important
Science projects have evolved from simple classroom experiments to extensive, year-long research endeavors that:
– Contribute significantly to students’ understanding of scientific principles
– Enhance critical thinking and problem solving skills
– Build self confidence
– Ignite a passion for STEM
Science competitions serve as a motivating factor by providing students with the arena and opportunity to showcase their research and compete against other students for awards, recognition, and scholarships.
The Stakes Are High
With 115 counties in Missouri and only 8 affiliated regional science fairs accepting students from 95 counties, many talented students are excluded from participating in science competitions. Losing 3 of these fairs would result in even more students being left out.
A state science competition would provide additional pathways for Missouri students to showcase their research, increasing the number of students sent to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) – the world’s largest pre-college student science competition. The opportunity to compete on such a prestigious stage as ISEF heightens students’ STEM passions, shaping them into the next generation of leaders, researchers, and innovators. Failure to create a state science fair short changes the students and the state by limiting the number of students able to be a part of this elevated learning, growth, and career-exploration experience.
What You Can Do
Join us by making a donation and becoming engaged in this initiative.
It’s imperative that we garner as much early support as possible as our fundraising goal is considerable – $250,000 is needed to shore up the regional fairs in 2026; $1 million is needed to create and run the statewide science competition in 2027.