North Alabama STEM Essay Contest
North Alabama SWE created the North Alabama STEM Essay Contest in 2023 to foster an interest in science, technology, engineering and math within our community.
Essay Contest Details
Sixth grade students across north Alabama are invited to participate in the North Alabama STEM Essay Contest. The goal of the contest is to foster an interest in STEM in middle school students. Since founding the contest, we’ve received 100 essays and awarded prizes and certificates to 15 students and two schools. Information about previous award recipients can be found at NALSWE Blog – Outreach.
2025 Essay Contest
Open Nov. 1, 2024 – Jan. 17, 2025
This year’s contest is sponsored by Mazda Toyota Manufacturing.
Essay Subject
Describe a new feature that you would add to a car. The feature can be aesthetic, safety, or convenience based.
- How would the feature work?
- What would the feature improve?
- How would this feature affect you personally?
- What technology exists today that you could use to help develop the feature?
This Year’s Prizes
Individual Awards
1st Place: $150 cash prize, STEM kit, and STEM book
2nd Place: $125 cash prize, STEM kit, and STEM book
3rd Place: $125 cash prize, STEM kit, and STEM book
Honorable Merit: STEM kit
Honorable Mention: STEM book
NEW – School Awards
The top two public, private, or parochial schools that have the highest percentage of participants by 6th grade population will receive a $700 school award.
Winning Essays Should
- Be 400-800 words long (header, title, and bibliography are not included in essay length);
- Adhere to the Essay Subject;
- Demonstrate an understanding of innovating in STEM and an ability to relate feature/design ideas to current technology;
- Show originality;
- Include one or more research sources from varying media (bibliography);
- Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation;
- Present the information in an organized, neat fashion.
Criteria for Judging
- Content (75%)
- Adherence to the prompt
- All four questions in the prompt are addressed
- Originality
- Thoughtful, original design or solution
- Demonstrates understanding of STEM
- Ability to relate feature/design idea to current technology
- Adherence to the prompt
- Presentation (25%)
- Quality of writing
- Style, clarity, flow, and vocabulary
- Organization
- Contains clear paragraphs, introduction, and conclusion
- Conventions
- Grammar, spelling, and punctuation
- Quality of writing
Eligibility
The contest is open to 6th grade students attending public, private, parochial, or home schools in the following counties: Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, Dekalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, or Winston.
Submission
- To enter, complete the entry form that will be made available during the contest window and follow the instructions to either upload or email your essay.
- The essay file name must include your first and last name.
- PDF, Word, and Google Doc file formats are accepted.
- For teachers submitting multiple entries, you may email a list of participating students along with the school name and address, your name and email address, and the essays to NALSTEMEssayContest@gmail.com.
- All entries must be received by January 17, 2025 at 11:59 PM.
- Winners will be notified by March 29, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
