March 19-22, 2025
Washington, DC
TIES and the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice are Thrilled to be part of that National STEM Festival again in 2025.
The National STEM Festival celebrates the exceptional talents of our nation’s youth and the innovative businesses driving progress, all year round.
Stay informed about the 2025 National STEM Challenge by signing up for the latest at www.nationalstemfestival.com/
The Mission: Guide bright minds toward careers in STEM and to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
Get Involved
For Students Grades 7-12:
Embark on a mission to create a project that addresses a real-world problem, aligning with one of the six festival themes. Utilize the scientific method or engineering design process to develop your solution.
Pre-Register to Submit a Project. Submissions open in August.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Celebrate the next generation of inventors, innovators, and solution seekers by volunteering at the National STEM Festival.
Virtual volunteering opportunities are open from Sept. – Dec. 2024. As a virtual judge, you will evaluate student projects, providing feedback and scoring to help determine the students selected to present in Washington, D.C.
Volunteer at the Festival March 19-22, 2025.
Event Name:
2025 National STEM Festival
Student Challenge Opens:
August 2024
Festival Event Dates:
March 19-22, 2025
Event Location:
Washington, D.C.
Event Overview:
The 2025 National STEM Festival celebrates a nationwide challenge to foster creativity, critical thinking, and a passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) among middle and high school students. Presented by EXPLR in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education and with support from TIES and the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice, this event is a key initiative under the Biden-Harris Administration to promote STEM education and careers, advancing equity and excellence for all students.
2025 Festival Themes:
Students participating in the Challenge will design projects within six categories, utilizing the engineering design process or the scientific method to address local or global challenges. These categories include:
Aerospace Innovation
Explore the frontiers of space settlement and aircraft innovation, from designing Martian habitats to enhancing flight safety and fuel sustainability.
Environmental Stewardship
Design a project that promotes environmental stewardship and sustainable resource use, focusing on conservation, habitat preservation, climate change mitigation, and addressing socioeconomic factors to develop scalable solutions.
Future Food
Research and propose practical solutions for equitable and sustainable food systems, considering climate change, population growth, resource scarcity, and food security.
Powering the Planet
Design and propose innovative solutions for future energy needs, focusing on alternative energy sources, storage technologies, energy efficiency, and grid optimization.
Health & Medicine
Invent a medical device or design innovative diagnostic and treatment solutions to enhance patient care quality, focusing on equitable healthcare access for under-resourced communities.
Tech for Good
Utilize AI, robotics, and advanced networks to create innovative tech solutions for real-world challenges such as closing the digital divide and addressing racial biases, enhancing your projects through innovative manufacturing and design.
Reach
15 million students engaged online
1,136 organizations amplifying the message
125 free events nationwide
48 states with participating students
+1K volunteers from top companies
More Numbers:
18 Federal Agencies and Departments participated.
22 Roundtable Discussions with C-level executives, inventors, scientists, and experts.
21 STEMbassadors, including astronauts, chefs, and inventors, served as Festival advocates.
31 Corporate and Philanthropic Sponsors.
1.7 million impressions on Festival Livestream.
About EXPLR:
EXPLR’s mission is to help kids thrive in school and life by providing real-world, rigorous, and relevant educational resources. EXPLR is a streaming video and curriculum service for grade 5-12 students, teachers, and families that helps bridge critical gaps in K-12 education. It was co-founded by leading education and entertainment figures Jenny Buccos (founder of ProjectExplorer), Kari Byron (former Discovery Channel Mythbuster), and Andrew Zimmern (TV personality, producer, and U.N. World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador). Since launching in 2021, EXPLR has been used in over 500 schools across 23 US states.
About TIES:
The Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES) is dedicated to making STEM accessible to everyone, especially underserved and underrepresented learners. We do this by connecting stakeholders — educators, funders, community organizations, businesses, and government agencies — who, through collaborative partnerships, create meaningful and gainful STEM learning experiences. Our experienced team of consultants provides strategic planning support and guides design, training, and implementation across all of our services.
