700 students to compete January 19, 2019 for scholarships and awards in the largest pre-collegiate STEM competition program in Southwest Florida
For Immediate Release
Contact – Re: Thomas A. Edison Regional Science & Inventors Fairs – Media inquiries to
Lee Hughes, lee.hughes@edisonfairs.org, 239-337-8315
Saturday, January 19, 2019, approximately 700 students (650 STEM projects) will participate in the 62nd Annual Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Science and Engineering Fair (open to the public as early as 3PM or upon completion of the judging) and the 32nd Annual Thomas A. Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Fair (open to the public at 1:30PM). Public, private and home-schooled students from Southwest Florida will be competing at Alico Arena on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University. The event is sanctioned by the Edison Festival of Light, as well as an affiliate of both the State Science and Engineering Fair (SSEF) of Florida and Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF).
Finalists of the Kiwanis Science Fair have maintained a strong presence at State and International competitions. The fairs provide a strong community presence as represented by the hundreds of judges and volunteers participating. Many organizations and community groups are directly involved in planning, organizing and conducting the fairs. Best of Fair award winners of the Science and Inventors Fairs will ride as honored guests in the Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade on February 16, 2019.
Over the past six decades, the Thomas A. Edison Regional Science and Inventors Fair program has grown into the largest pre-collegiate STEM competition program in Southwest Florida. Annually, these regional STEM fairs engage nearly 20,000 students in research projects at a school level. Student participants compete for over 30 college scholarships and thousands of dollars worth in prizes, including scores of Sony Electronic, Inc. products and special awards at local and regional events. At state and international levels of competition millions of dollars in scholarships are available.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019, the Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Awards Ceremony presented by Sony Electronics. Inc., will be held at Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School (2401 Euclid Ave. Fort Myers, 33901). The event begins at 7PM and is open to the public. Edison Park Elementary originally opened in 1927. It was one of the first auditoriums in Lee County, where Thomas Edison himself attended community programs. Several college scholarships, special prizes and Sony products valued at several thousand dollars will be awarded to scores of K-12 students from across Southwest Florida who competed successfully in the Regional Inventors Fair on January 19th.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019, the Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Science and Engineering Fair Award Ceremony presented by Sony Electronics, Inc., will be held at FGCU’s Alico Arena beginning at 7PM. Winners from the January 19th Kiwanis Science and Engineering Fair will be recognized at the ceremony, also open to the public. Over 30 college scholarships will be granted, with scores of Special Awards bestowed. These Awards are from individuals, organizations and agencies using special criteria set by the donors. Sony personal electronic products, certificates of merit, memberships, tickets to events, trophies and other prizes will be given out during the program.
In all, over 125 students will be recognized with hundreds of family members in attendance. Winners of both Senior High Division and Junior High Division participants in 13 distinct science categories from Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Science and Engineering Fair are to be announced. FGCU will once again award over 20 middle school students who competed successfully at the Kiwanis Science Fair a two-week Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) at the Whitaker Center for STEM Education, where they will gain hands-on experience in real research programs. The evening will conclude with the announcement of the Best of Fair Awards in the Senior High School and Junior High School Divisions.
Additional information regarding the Fairs is available from our website (edisonfairs.org) and on social media (@EdisonFairs).
The Thomas A. Edison Regional Science and Inventor Fair (TAERSIF) Steering Committee works year-round to organize and conduct the Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Science and Engineering Fair, the Suncoast Credit Union Elementary Science Expo and the Thomas A. Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Fair that host in total more than 1100 local students. Key partners of TAERSIF include the Fort Myers Kiwanis, Lee County and Charlotte County Public Schools, numerous private and parochial schools, Florida Gulf Coast University, the Edison Festival of Light, Florida Southwestern State College, Hodges University, the James and Eleanor Newton Scholarships, Sony Electronics, Imagine Solutions Conference, Daitch Family Foundation, Caloosa Bromeliad Society, The Edison & Ford Winter Estates, The IMAG History and Science Center, the Fort Myers Miracle baseball team, Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Pure Florida, Caloosa Veterinary Medical Society, Florida Power and Light, Doug MacGregor. The Edison Pageant of Light, the Entrepreneurs Society of Naples, the Scientist Society of Southwest Florida, Lee Memorial Health Systems, the Lee County Medical Society and numerous private donors and volunteers.