Update to Judging Schedule

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Registration

Due to Covid-related restrictions on area schools, we will be holding interviews only for the final round of judging of Senior Division projects.  All other projects will be judged solely on the submitted Abstract, Slide Presentation, Lab Notebook, and Video (if available).  Final round Senior Division interviews will take place over Zoom on the afternoon of March 11 (tentatively planned for 3-5pm).  Senior Division students will be contacted by email on March 10 if their project has advanced to the final round to schedule an interview time. 

All students need to enter their Abstract and upload the PDF of their Slide Presentation and Lab Notebook pages into their STEM Wizard account by midnight on Wednesday, March 3.  We hope that all of you will also submit a 3-minute project overview video!  We want to hear you talking about your project.   Do not wait until the last minute to submit your project, so we have time to help you if you have any questions.  You can email registration@midcolumbiasciencefair.org if you have any questions or need help uploading your project.  More information about submitting projects is here.

We will be holding Office Hours over Zoom from 4-5 pm on Tuesday February 23 and Monday March 1 to answer your questions about uploading projects and submitting videos.  Links to these sessions will be emailed a few days before.

Thank you for your understanding.  We look forward to being back in person for next year’s fair!

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Reminder – Project Registration Deadline is February 13

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Registration

The deadline for students to compete their Project Information, Research Plan, and Files & Forms milestones in STEM Wizard is coming up soon, on February 13, 2021.    If you have any questions or run into problems submitting your information through STEM Wizard, please let us know.  You can send a message through STEM Wizard, or email us directly at:

Students have until March 3 to complete the Judging Requirements milestone. We look forward to seeing your projects!

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Slide Presentation Templates now available

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Registration

The Virtual Fair Information Page has been updated and now includes templates for the slide presentations that students will create as their Virtual Project Board displays for this year’s fair. These templates have been made available to help students create their 8-12 slide-long presentations and provide suggestions on what information to include. The use of these templates is not required. Also, students may edit and add slides (up to the 12 slide limit) to most clearly present the information about their project.

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2021 Fair Schedule Announced

Posted on November 17, 2020 by Content Editor

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Mid-Columbia Science Fair will be held in a virtual format. Schedule information can be found on the Schedule page and additional information can be found on the Virtual Fair page.

The Mid-Columbia Science Fair has also partnered with the Washington State Science & Engineering Fair (WSSEF) to adopted the STEM-Wizard platform for registering projects and receiving SRC-IRB approvals. STEM-Wizard helps guide students through the registration/approval process and will also facilitate judging and promotion of projects to the state fair.

For more information, students and/or teachers can contact registration assistance: registration@midcolumbiasciencefair.org or the fair director: director@midcolumbiasciencefair.org.

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SSP Stem Advocate Grant Winner!

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Content Editor

Congratulations to Robin Driver from Eisenhower High School in Yakima! She is one of the 66 educators chosen to participate in the Society for Science & the Public’s 2020-21 Stem Advocate program. This program provides mentorship and training opportunities, as well as a $5,000 grant from the Society for Science & the Public to support her students’ research and further develop the science research program at Eisenhower High School. Read more about this award here: https://fox41yakima.com/yakima-teacher-receives-5000-to-mentor-students-in-science-research-from-home-2

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2020 Fair Awards Posted

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Content Editor

The list of 2020 Mid-Columbia Science Fair Award and Special Award winners has been posted here. Teachers have their students’ awards and certificates, and will be contacting students with information about how they can collect these items. Congratulations to all students for their hard work and dedication to completing their independent research projects. Thank you to the many organizations who sponsored awards at this year’s fair!

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2020 Awards Ceremony Cancelled

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Content Editor

Thank you to all the volunteers that gave their time to make the 2020 Fair a success. However, due to potential school travel restrictions associated with the COVID-19 outbreak, the MCSF Association has decided to cancel the 2020 Awards Ceremony originally scheduled for Saturday, March 14th. This decision was made in consultation with teachers during the 2020 Fair Day and the board is making plans to provide awards to teachers for distribution at an appropriate time for each participating school. Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

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2020 Fair Day Approaching – Important Reminders for Participants

Posted on March 5, 2020 by Content Editor

The Mid-Columbia Science Fair is quickly approaching and student registration is now closed. All participants are reminded to review the Mid-Columbia Science Fair and International Science and Engineering Fair rules. Of particular note, project posters should not contain the student’s name, teach, school, or other branding.

The MCSF Association Board is actively monitoring the situation with COVID-19 and is currently planning for the fair to proceed as scheduled. We encourage all fair participants to review the following mitigations modeled after the CDC’s recommendations for public events:

COVID-19 2020 Fair Considerations

  • In the event of a school closure affecting registered students’ ability to participate, students/teachers should contact the Board President and the Fair Director regarding potential waivers for participation in the State Fair
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
  • Judges and volunteers are instructed to not shake hands and may wear gloves when examining projects

Additional Resources:

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SRC/IRB Deadline is (2/13)

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Content Editor

The deadline for submitting projects to the Scientific Review Committee and Institutional Review Boards is quickly approaching. The deadline for the 2020 Fair is Thursday, February 13, 2020. These reviews represent an important step to ensure the integrity and safety of fair participants. All fair competitors are reminded that SRC/IRB approvals are required before the start of any experimentation/data collection for projects. More information can be found in the SRC/IRB section.

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2020 Fair registration is open!

Posted on January 18, 2020 by Content Editor

Registration for the 2020 Fair is open. The 2020 Mid-Columbia Science and Engineering Fair will be held on March 12, 2020 at the Columbia Center Mall. All students and projects must be present for judging by 9AM on Thursday, March 12, 2020. Judging will take place in two rounds, with lunch in between. Special awards judging will take place throughout the day. Please see the Schedule & Maps page for registration and other deadlines.

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