Academic Contests, Competions, Talent Searches & Scholarships
Challenge yourself in interscholastic competitions, earn prizes, scholarships, and other valuable awards and honors.
Mathematics
Math Counts - national enrichment, coaching and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement with "live" competition between teams.
7 February 2009 - Hartford, CT Chapter Competition at University of Hartford (Connecticut Society of Professional Engineers)
14 March 2009 - Connecticut State Competition at University of Hartford (Connecticut Society of Professional Engineers)
7-11 May 2009 - Raytheon MATHCOUNTS National Competition will be held in Orlando, Florida!
Math Olympiad for Elementary & Middle Schools - (November through March) math problem solving competition with 5 timed tests administered in local schools over 5 months.
American Mathematics Competitions (Mathematical Association of America) - written contest in three divisions; AMC8 (gr. 6-8 and accelerated gr. 4 & 5 students); a 25-question, 40-minute multiple-choice contest, given the Tuesday before Thanksgiving week; registration Sept. to Oct.; awards for teachers of top-scoring schools.
American Regions Mathematics League - a contest written for high school students, although some exceptional junior high students attend each year, with teams of 15 students currently enrolled at a level no higher than the 12th grade; each team must draw its students from a well-defined geographic area.
21 March 2009 - local competitions
29-39 May 2009 - national competition at four regional sites.
The Math League - Math Contests for Grades 4 through 8, Algebra 1 students, and High School Students, with a timed written test completed at local schools.
Continental Mathematics League - (gr. 2-12) timed written contest problems at on-site meet.
Noetic Learning Math Contest - (gr. 2-5) timed written contest problems in school classroom (deadline: 15 Oct.)
Science, Technology, & Engineering
You Be the Chemist Challenge (Chemical Education Foundation) (gr. 5-8) - competition demonstrating knowledge of important chemistry concepts, discoveries, and chemical safety; qualifying exam - Nov.; registration deadline - Dec.
Engineer Girl! - Imagine That! Engineering Innovation Contest (National Academy of Engineering) - annual contests for girls in grades 3 to 12
FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science & Technology
FIRST Robotics Competition (high school age)
FIRST Tech Challenge (high school age)
FIRST Lego League (ages 9-14)
Junior FIRST Lego League (ages 6-9)
FIRST Place (all ages) - science, math and engineering hands-on learning laboratory in Manchester, NH
Trinity College Firefighting Robot Contest (12-13 April 2008)
BEST Robotics Competition - a design - build contest using a small Radio/Controlled (R/C) robot built in six weeks from kits (gr. 6-12).
Botball: Math, Science, and Robotics - (gr. 6-12) seven weeks to design, build and program a team of mobile, autonomous robots as well as document the engineering process online.
Connecticut Invention Convention (2 May 2009, U. of Connecticut)
Intel Internatioanl Science and Engineering Fair (8-15 May 2009, Reno, NV)
Connecticut Science Fair (10-14 March 2009, Quinnipiac University)
Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology
Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge
National Science Bowl for Middle School Students (U.S. Dept. of Energy; 30 April - 5 May 2009) - an academic math and science competition and a model hydrogren fuel cell car challenge. The academic competition is a fast-paced question-and-answer contest where students answer questions about earth science, physical science, life science, math, and general science. The model hydrogen fuel cell car challenge tests the students ability to design, build, and race model cars.
Northeast Middle School Science Bowl (28 March 2009)
American Computer Science League Competitions - four written contests completed on site for teams of 3 or 5 students or classroom groups in divisions through grade 12; registration 1 Sept. to 1 Dec.; contest begins December, ends April.
23 May 2009 - All-Star national competition, Huntsville, AL
Toshiba - NSTA ExploraVision Awards - Designed for K–12 students of all interest, skill and ability levels, ExploraVision encourages kids to create and explore a vision of future technology by combining their imaginations with the tools of science; teams of 2-4 students; entry deadline 30 January 2009.
NASA Exploring Space Challenges - a compilation of investigations and design challenges for all grade levels in the primary and secondary schools.
LCROSS: Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite - Explore Earth and Space Navigation Part II: Charting a Course to the Moon
What's the Difference: Multimedia Authoring and Comparison Tool - all grades
Virtual Field Trip: Moon Math - investigate lunar habitat design
Mission: Moon Math (NASA Exploring Space Challenges) - contests for gr. 5-8.
Future City Competition (National Engineers Week) - school teams, gr. 7 & 8; registration opens in August; regional competitions in January.
International Student Media Festival (gr. K-12) -celebrates outstanding classroom media projects using podcasts, live action, animation, sequential stills, interactive stills, websites, photographs.
National Science League (Continental Mathematics League) (gr. 2-12) - in-school contests consisting of multiple choice questions based on factual knowledge as well as students' understanding of scientific processes; registration deadline: February.
Language Arts & Social Studies
2009 Constitution Day Contest (Conn. Consortium for Law & Civic Education) - rules for short essay contest for 17 Sept.
Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee; enrollment deadline: 16 October 2009; finals 26-27 May 2009, broadcast on ESPN.
National Geographic Bee (National Geogrpahic magazine) - entertaining and challenging test of geographic knowledge for students grades 4-8
13 January 2009 - TMA competition
31 January 2008 - deadline for qualifying test submission
3 April 2009 - Connecticut state competion
19-20 May 2009 - National competition, Washington, D.C.
Resources for National Geographic Bee competitors
Study Guide (Oak Park, IL, School District 97)
National History Day (Gr. 6-12) (14-18 June 2009)
History Day in Connecticut (Regionals - 4 April; State - 9 May 2009)
Unlock the Doors to Diplomacy - (gr. 7-12) essay contest sponsored by U.S. Department of State; teams of 2-4 students; registration deadline 28 February 2009.
Kid's Philosophy Slam (gr. K-12)- kids respond to a philosophical topic in words, artwork, poetry or song; deadline:February
School Speech Contest (Modern Woodmen Fraternal Insurance) (gr. 5-12) - students prepare and present speeches on annual topic; submission deadline: May.
National Current Events League (Continental Mathematics League) (gr. 4-12) - four contests held at your school during the school year consisting of 30 multiple choice questions; deadline: October
National Geography Challenge (Continental Mathematics League) (gr. 2-12) - contest held at local schools using multiple choice quizzes; registration deadline: March.
National Language Arts League (Continental Mathematics League) (gr. 2-12) - contest using multiple choice questions based on the following topics: spelling, vocabulary, reading comprehension, analogies, and grammar; registration deadline: February.
National Social Studies League (Continental Mathematics League) ( gr. 2-12) - in-school quiz contest with questions are based on topics in American Studies, Geography of the United States, and United States government; registration deadline: February.
National Mythology Exam (Excellence Through Classics) (gr. 3-9) - in-school quiz contest with questions based on general knowledge of Greek & Roman mythology, plus African, Native American, and Norse myths; registration deadline: January.
Bic Quality Comes in Writing Essay Competition (Bic Corporation) (gr. 4-6) - annual essay competition which is part of an educational program and website designed to help students in grades 4 through 6 improve their writing and communication skills.
Visual, Performing, and Multi-media Arts
International Student Media Festival (Association for Educational Communications and Technology) -
Multi-Disciplinary
The Eiffel Tower Contest (French Embassy) (gr. K-12) - celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower by creating a visual arts or language arts work to commemorate this landmark (deadline: 30 Oct. 2009).
Knowledge Master Open (gr. 5-12) - school teams collaborate with online quiz and compete against other school teams from U.S. and internationally (competition: January)
Individual Contests & Scholarships
Note: Eligibility for contests and scholarships listed below includes elementary, middle, and high school students.
American Foreign Service Association National Essay Contest (gr. 9-12)
"What the American Dream Means To Me" Statewide Essay Contest (Barnum Financial Group) (ages 6-9 and 10-14) - submission deadline 1 May.
Youth Essay/Speech Contest, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge National Award (gr. K-12) - submission deadline 1 June.
L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contest
Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest (gr. 9-12, undergraduate, graduate)
Ferris Ellis Literary Award (Waterbury Foundation)
Michael S. Powell High School Journalist of the Year (gr. 9-12)
American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program (junior high or senior high student under 20 years old)
Patriot's Pen (VFW) (gr. 6-8) - youth-essay writing contest; deadline: November.
Fleet Reserve Association Americanism Essay Contest (gr. 7-12)
DuPont Challenge - Science essay (700-1000 words) competition for students currently enrolled in grades 7 through 12 (junior and senior divisions); prizes include savings bonds, teacher awards, and trips to Walt Disney World and Kennedy Space Center.
Adlyn M. Keffer National Story League Short Story Writing Contest - Original story (not more than 2,000 words), judged on originality, tellability, title, beginning, plot, characters, grammar, ending (gr. 4-12, two divisions); begins January; deadline 30 April 2009.
Americanism Program (AMVETS) - drawing, poster, and essay contest in three divisions (gr. K-12) about American heritage, civics and citizenship, submitted through local posts; 2008-2009 topic is "What Does an American Veteran Mean to Me?"
American History Essay Contest (Daughter of the American Revolutuion) - essays judged by state chapters submitted on an annual topic gr. 5-8;
Cricket League Magazines Contests - monthly themed art and writing contest for several different children's magazines.
Letters About Literature (Library of Congress) (gr. 4-12) - readers write a personal letter to an author, living or dead, from any genre-- fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic, explaining how that author's work changed the student's way of thinking about the world or themselves. Submission deadline: December.
Peace Poster Contest (Lions Clubs) (ages 11-13) - encourages young people worldwide to artistically express their visions of peace. Submission deadline: November.
Manningham Student Poetry Awards (National Federation of State Poetry Societies) (gr. 6-12) - student-authored poems of not more than 50 lines. Submission deadline: March.
Student Editorial Cartoon Contest (NewsCurrents) (gr. K-12) - students create original cartoons expressing an opinion about any subject of national or international interest. Submission deadline: March.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program (gr. 7 - graduate school) - financial assistance, academic advising, and cultural programs for students with demonstrated unmet financial need and a strong academic record, a strong work ethic, a will to succeed, leadership, public service, critical thinking ability, and appreciation for or participation in the arts and humanities, or study of music, art, literature, or similar fields. Submission deadline: April.
Bubble Wrap® Competition for Young Inventors (National Museum of Education and Sealed Air Corp.) (gr. 5-8) - demonstrate creativity and ingenuity by creating an invention that incorporates the use of Bubble Wrap® cushioning. Submission deadline: 3 March 2010
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