STEAM ROOM SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST
Your Idea. Your Imagination. Your Exhibit.
SUBMIT ENTRIES BY MARCH 10!
Do you dream of creating something that sparks curiosity and inspires others to explore STEM/STEAM? Here’s your chance to bring that dream to life—and win scholarships!
What’s the Challenge?
We’re inviting middle and high school students from Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties to submit innovative ideas for an interactive educational exhibit that could become part of the STEAM Room — Southern Maryland’s very own children’s museum, opening in 2027!
Submit a concept that:
- Engages curiosity with STEM/STEAM phenomena
- Encourages discovery through exploration and experimentation
- Inspires creativity and collaboration in problem-solving
Winning entries could be developed into permanent museum exhibits and receive scholarships!
Key Details
- Who Can Enter: Middle and high school students in Southern Maryland
- What to Submit: A project concept (prototype, poster, presentation, artwork, or digital product)
- Deadline: Submissions accepted March 3–10, 2025
- Categories:
- Encountering STEM Phenomena – An object or event that can be experienced, observed and/or measured.
Engaging with STEM Practices – Asking questions, defining a problem(s), analyzing and interpreting data,
carrying out investigations, engaging in arguments from evidence, developing and using models, constructing explanations and designing solutions, using math & computational thinking.
STEM Skill Development – Problem Solving, Communication & Collaboration, Creativity, Cross-Cultural Skills.
- Encountering STEM Phenomena – An object or event that can be experienced, observed and/or measured.
- Winners Announced: March 20, 2025
- Awards Ceremony: March 30, 2025 | 2:00–5:00 PM | Patuxent River Naval Air Museum | 22156 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park, MD
How to Submit an Entry
Submit your idea in one of two ways:
- Physical Drop-off
- James E. Richmond Science Center | 5305 Piney Church Road, Waldorf, MD | Hours: Tues-Sat 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Patuxent River Naval Air Museum | 22156 Three Notch Rd, Lexington Park, MD | Hours: Tues–Sat, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Sun, 12:00 PM–5:00 PM
- Submit Digitally
- Complete the online submission form and attach any relevant files
- Online form will be available on this website from March 3–10, 2025
Prizes & Recognition
- Scholarships: At least 3–5 winners will be awarded scholarships.
- Permanent Exhibit Opportunity: Winning ideas may inspire a permanent exhibit in the STEAM Room Museum!
Questions?
For questions or contest guidelines, email us at info@pureplayeveryday.org.
RSVP for the STEAM Room Catalyst Event Awards and Ceremony here.
Digital Contest Submissions
“Play is the highest form of research.”
— Albert Einstein
Physicist
