On Saturday, March 16, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) hosted more than 200 students and families from across the District at the 2024 DC STEM Fair. Students presented nearly 70 projects from a variety of topics across science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The DC STEM Fair is the longest-running student competition in the District of Columbia. This year’s event, included an elementary exhibition for students in grades K-5 and a competitive fair for secondary students in grades 6-12, was presented in collaboration with local nonprofit DC4STEM.

“Encouraging students to engage directly in experiments and research of their choosing is an important element of strong science learning,” said State Superintendent Dr. Christina Grant. “It is so exciting to see the innovation, creativity and resilience of our students at work as they demonstrate their critical thinking and strategic thinking skills.”

Entries in the secondary fair were judged competitively and the following students were selected for awards:

• High School First Place - Babiha Baksh, National Cathedral School, for “Exploring the Obesity Paradox: Does higher body mass index protect against Alzheimer's?”
• High School Second Place - Tatianna Mayo, Benjamin Banneker Academy High School, for “Investigating the Effect of the Type of Milk on Casein Content”
• Middle School First Place - Lilah Anker-Scherer, Washington Latin Public Charter School, for “NoteScout”
• Middle School Second Place - Sumie Wahab-Twibell, Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan, for “Investigating the Effect that Common Drinks Have on Tooth Enamel Using Eggs”

All grand prize winners will be highlighted at the Washington Mystics STEM and Basketball Education Day Game on May 10. Their projects will also be displayed on the concourse during the game.

Kaitlyn McGrath, meteorologist at WUSA9, served as a special guest judge for the event and awarded four special recognition awards to Xander Vranas (What are these Macronutrients Doing in My Cheese Toast?), Natalie Shanks (The Tropical Habitat), Babiha Bakshi (Exploring the Obesity Paradox: Does higher body mass index protect against Alzheimer's?) and Palki Bakshi (Button Battery Beware).

“I am so honored to have served as a Community Award judge for the DC STEM Fair. It was remarkable to witness the remarkable creativity and passion displayed by the participating students,” McGrath said. “Their innovative projects showcased a deep commitment to scientific inquiry and problem-solving, proving that the future of STEM fields have an incredibly bright future.”

Along with the student projects, attendees of the 2024 DC STEM Fair also had the opportunity to engage with community exhibitors including WUSA9, Washington Mystics, Virginia Tech Innovation Campus, FutureMakers, iGen Educational Academy, and Mary Mcleod Bethune PCS.

In addition to the DC STEM Fair, OSSE is supporting student learning in science and mathematics through a variety of programs and professional development opportunities. Through math bootcamps, OSSE is offering hands-on training for DC educators in high-impact strategies for mathematics teaching. Secondary science educators have participated in a yearlong cohort through code.org to increase computer technology integration in the classroom, in-person professional development on the NGSS standards breakdown and the New DC CAPE assessment breakdown and currently offering training for leaders and educators on science and literacy integration. In addition to professional learning, OSSE has invested in high-quality instructional materials for LEAs in mathematics and science.

To learn more about the DC STEM Fair, visit osse.dc.gov/page/2024-dc-stem-fair.