DC STEM Saturday 2026
State STEM Fair and Math Inquiry Activities were held March 28 at Dunbar H.S.
What is DC STEM Saturday?
EmpowerK12 and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education collaborated to host the first STEM Saturday on March 28, 2026 at Dunbar High School. Our student scientists presented their extraordinary projects, enjoyed math games and challenges, and grabbed a bite to eat! Students who won Grand Prize at the STEM Fair qualified for ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair) May 9-15 in Phoenix!
DC State STEM Science Fair
The DC STEM Fair is the official state science fair for the District of Columbia and the longest-running student competition in the District of Columbia. The fair will host an elementary exhibition for students in grades K-5 and a competitive fair for secondary students in grades 6-8 and 9-12. The elementary exhibition and secondary fair will bring together students from all eight wards to showcase their ideas, talents, and innovative research in STEM. Secondary grand prize winners qualify for the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
A quick recap of STEM Saturday 2026. Congrats to all participants, and especially to the award winners!
Math Inquiry Activities
Just like a science fair, students investigate, test ideas, and defend their thinking using math. Families and students explore interactive math booths, ask questions, and engage in hands-on investigations. They came to see math in action—no calculators required (but curiosity is)!
Math Hub inquiry activities at the 2026 DC STEM Saturday!
Math Inquiry Activities
Below are a sample of the types of fun math activities that students and families can experience at the STEM Saturday: Math Inquiry Fair.
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Use toothpicks and a connector of your choice to design a bridge that can hold weigh for 10 seconds
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Create a Möbius strip and explore what happens when you cut it in different ways
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Which One Doesn't Belong, choose an image out of four, make a claim for why it doesn't belong with the others, justify your reasoning, and compare your thinking to others
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Create a heart, frog, or fortune teller and explore symmetry, fractions, and angles
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Uno (youngest ages), Shut the Box (middle grades), and Wits & Wagers (later grades)