SARSEF

Every child. Thinking critically. Solving problems.

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SARSEF

Every child. Thinking critically. Solving problems.

  • Getting started

    • Who can participate

    Who is eligible to submit a project to the SARSEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair?

    • PreK – Grade 4: All Arizona students are eligible; however, projects must qualify at the school level before SARSEF Fair submission.  
    • Grade 5 – 8: Arizona students living south of the Gila River are eligible; however, projects must qualify at the school level before SARSEF Fair submission. 
    • Grades 9 – 12: Arizona students living south of the Gila River are eligible and can submit their project to the SARSEF Regional Fair. 

    What are the basic rules for submission?

    • Projects/student research must have taken place within the last year.
    • Projects must not have competed in a SARSEF Regional Fair before.
    • Continuation projects (multi-year projects) must be made clear including what additional research was performed since the previous year.
    • Students must compete only in their CURRENT grade level.
    • Students may only submit ONE individual or team (2-3 students) project. They may, however, be a part of a class (4+ students) project in addition to their individual/team project.
    • Class projects are allowed and encouraged at every grade level (including high school) and will compete separately from individual and team projects.
    • Schools and homeschool students must apply for an allocation (number of projects they can register for the SARSEF Regional Fair). Preschools and high schools will be given an unlimited allocation.
    • Preschool (ages 3-5) children do not need to be enrolled in a formal preschool program to submit a project. Though guided by a caregiver or educator, the project and research must be the child’s work.
    • All necessary Scientific Research Committee (SRC) forms and human subjects forms (IRB) MUST be completed before starting the project and accompany the completed project presentation.
    • Project must adhere to all Display and Safety Rules.
    Learn more about SRC and Display and Safety

    Levels of Involvement

    Full-scale science research school

    Take the challenge and become a full-scale research school this year! Your students will all practice being problem solvers and improve their ability to think critically and creatively as they all enter a research project into your school fair for a chance to move on to the SARSEF Regional Fair. Teachers can integrate science and engineering practices into any subject. We will help you get started.

    Partial school participation

    Schools can also have specific classes, grade levels, or extracurricular groups complete projects. A school fair would be held to determine the top projects that would move on to the SARSEF Regional Fair.

    Independent Entries

    Even if students are not completing science and engineering research projects as part of their in-school curriculum, students may complete their own projects. Students or parents may choose to start science clubs at their school to facilitate this. For PreK-8th grade students, projects will still need to be registered through the school; a school science fair will need to be held if the number of projects completed from that school is greater than the allocation given. High School projects can be registered by the individual and do not need to compete in a school fair.

    Become a SARSEF-endorsed school

    Each year, SARSEF educators award two K-12 educational institutions that exemplify using STEM curriculum in their classrooms to teach problem-solving and critical thinking the title of SARSEF-endorsed school. Those schools are added to the list of others who have earned this title, assuring parents and caregivers at those schools the quality STEM education that their students are receiving.

    List of SARSEF-endorsed schools Rubric for Schools