3 Benefits of Hosting Schoolwide STEM Competitions

Is your school district looking for new ways to promote engagement and boost academic success? As schools across the country find innovative ways to bring STEM experiences to their students, there are thoughtful strategies for involving the broader school community to support student success.

Creating new traditions for your school can help students find pride in building your school’s STEM reputation and encourage some friendly competition! Whether it’s introducing new, easy-to-implement STEM enrichment programs or hosting a soap box derby, finding exciting ways to connect with STEM can strengthen family involvement and boost student engagement. Hosting a schoolwide STEM competition is a particularly great way to energize staff and students to embrace STEM.

Benefits of Hosting a Schoolwide STEM Competition

Schoolwide competitions give students an opportunity to collaborate, share their ideas and solve problems – all while having fun! From robotics to science experiments, hosting a STEM competition filled with hands-on challenges can inspire curiosity, creativity and confidence in your students while fostering a strong sense of school pride and community connection.

1. Increase Family and Student Engagement

Hosting a STEM competition is a great way to create new opportunities for families to level up their involvement. Invite parents and caregivers to come cheer on their children, volunteer and even participate in your STEM competition. We also recommend including a show-and-tell forum, where students can showcase their hard work and beam with pride. When families recognize achievements and reinforce learning concepts in multiple settings, they take an active role in supporting their children’s learning and development.

Cultivating strong family engagement in your school makes a world of difference for students and their teachers. To better support social and academic growth, developing a shared responsibility and commitment to STEM enrichment has lasting benefits.

2. Reduce Chronic Absenteeism

Defined as missing at least 10% of the school year, chronic absenteeism remains at historic levels across the country. On average, this equates to 18 to 20 days of absences in a school year. To combat absenteeism, it can be helpful to foster brand-new experiences that encourage a positive relationship with being at school.

Hosting a STEM competition is a unique and fun way to motivate student participation. As you create a buzz for your event, a highly anticipated STEM competition gives students a meaningful reason to come to school, keeping them connected to their academic goals. Buy-in strategies can include winning an awesome prize, being featured on the morning announcements and may even lead to sparking a new interest in a STEM subject.

3. Promote Student Leadership and Confidence

Building confidence and developing essential skills like teamwork, creative problem solving and persistence can prepare students for lifelong success. Fun-filled STEM competitions foster an opportunity for the natural development of leadership skills when the pressure is on to be agile and adaptable.

As students launch solutions for real-world challenges, participating in a STEM competition can help students transform into confident creators, underscoring the importance of STEM empowerment. By practicing thoughtful collaboration on their team, students learn to manage time, delegate tasks and develop a true sense of ownership as they let their best ideas shine on the competition stage. Creating authentic learning experiences that boost confidence while supporting the development of 21st-century skills is a fantastic way to celebrate students’ accomplishments and support their creative journeys!

Planning a STEM competition is easier than you think! Consider launching a schoolwide poll to choose a theme as you stir excitement for your upcoming event. From recruiting help from educators and families to inviting sponsors or student mentors, encouraging as much involvement as possible will ensure learning experiences that empower students and your local community.

Plan Your STEM Competition

Ready to start the memory-making? Collaborate with students and their families to kick off your first schoolwide STEM competition. For more STEM resources for educators, we welcome you to visit our website.