District of Columbia Students in Grade 3-5 Showcase Innovation, Ingenuity at 2019 DC STEM Fair

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: 

Fred Lewis (OSSE)

District of Columbia Students in Grade 3-5 Showcase Innovation, Ingenuity at 2019 DC STEM Fair

Elementary school students compete in daylong celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; event also features a STEM Expo for students, parents and teachers

(Washington, DC) – Approximately 200District of Columbia public, public charter, parochial, private and homeschool students in grades 3-5 will showcase their knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math at the 2019 DC STEM Fair for elementary school students on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at the University of the District of Columbia-Van Ness Campus.

The free daylong festivities include a STEM Expo from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. where students, parents and teachers can participate in hands-on STEM activities. The event also features a Maker Row featuring 12 organizations where participants can engage in a variety of do-it-yourself projects. Finally, the DC STEM Fair will feature a professional development opportunity, co-sponsored by TGR, the Tiger Woods foundation, for District teachers.

WHO WILL BE THERE:

·         Keynote speaker: Aerospace Engineer Aprille Joy Ericsson, the first person of color to receive The Washington Award from the Western Society of Engineers; the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Howard University; and the first African-American female to receive a Ph.D. in Engineering at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

·         Senior officials from Battelle and Northrup Grumman (DC STEM Fair co-sponsors)

WHEN:                 Saturday, June 1, from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Public can view projects from 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Judging will take place from 9-11 a.m.

Awards ceremony and closing remarks held from 1-1:45 p.m.

WHERE:               University of the District of Columbia-Van Ness, 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW

More than 80 volunteers from local universities, STEM professional organizations, research groups and STEM employers will judge 135 projects in categories ranging from Botany, Chemistry and Earth and Space Science to Mathematics and Physics, Microbiology and Zoology. Judges will choose the top three projects from each category. Ribbons will be awarded for first, second and third place projects and the winners will receive tickets to see the Washington Nationals on June 20.

BACKGROUND: A long-standing tradition for DC’s public, public charter, parochial, private and home-schooled students, the DC STEM Fair is presented by the DC STEM Network, which is managed by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The Network’s mission is to unite community partners in a sustainable collective effort to design, guide and advocate for transformative STEM learning opportunities for all DC students. The DC STEM Fair is sponsored by OSSE, Washington Nationals, Battelle, Northrup Grumman, Broadcom Foundation, Octo Consulting Group, WHUT, TGR, and Subway.

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