Thomas Edison kiwanis science & engineering fair

Establish a “local” Science Review Committee (SRC) & an Institutional Review Board (IRB) before student paperwork is due.

Most SSEF and ISEF Paperwork must be completed and approved prior to experimentation.

• Click here for the roles and responsibilities for SRC, IRB, other adults and the student researcher.

Register your “local” SRC and IRB when you complete your regional science fair registration.

Contact Edison Fairs if you need support filling the roles in your SRC/IRB.

Create a school fair timeline for students.

• 2025-2026 Edison Fairs Student Worklist

Student ISEF/SSEF paperwork, review & approvals

Students complete paperwork and get SRC/IRB approvals BEFORE experimentation. NO Backdating

Are you new to Science Fair or want to reduce paperwork requirements? Consider limiting the types of projects your students do.

• Here are some considerations

PAPERWORK before Data Collection/Experimentation Begins

• ALL students must complete 1, 1A, 1B, Research Plan
• Highly recommended: ISEF Form 3
• All other forms may need to be completed based on what/how the student researcher is investigating. Use the ISEF Rules Wizard to determine the needed ISEF paperwork needed.

ISEF Rules Wizard

• Official Abstract must be included next to the board, standing upright.
• SSEF Rules Link
• SSEF Rules Supplement

Research Plan Templates based on project

• General
• PHBA
• Human Participants
• Vertebrate Animal

Paperwork questions?

• Contact Edison Fairs at science@edisonfairs.org
• Contact SSEF SRC at flscifair.src@gmail.com

Getting Judges

Do this as soon as you know your fair date(s).

Scientists’ Society can help with judging at your school. Information and contact information found at this link. Email Dave Sampson (Scientists Society) – davesamp@comcast.net.

Leverage stakeholders at your school.

Judging Rubric and Criteria

• ISEF Judging Criteria
• SSEF Judging Criteria (2020)

Day of School Fair

Consider having an in-person fair with judging.

• Get enough judges for the fair to be no longer than 3 hours, less if you can manage it.
• Provides students practice in communicating their investigation with the judges.

Project Board Expectations

Project Display Guidelines

Have system to register students into categories

• Consider Google Forms
• Categories – (keep it simple if you are starting out)

SSEF Fair Categories

School Fair Awards

• How will you notify/celebrate the winners of your fair? Options:
  • An awards ceremony (after school with the options of parent attendance).
  • Prize patrol style (during school)

STEP one

By September 30th – Complete School Registration Google Forms

• School Registration for Inventors Fair

STEP TWO

Receive and Process Invoice

STEP THREE

By January 16th – Complete School Registration Google Form. This may be completed by the teacher or the student, but one registration must be completed for each project (group projects can register on one google form.)

• Student Registration Google Form

Information needed for each student

• Grade
• Name
• Project title
• Non-school Email (if grade appropriate)
• Cell Phone Number (If grade appropriate)
• Parent Name
• Parent email
• Parent cell phone number.

STEP FOUR

Receive and Process Invoice if Additional Students, Beyond 6, are Added

Science & Engineering

• Junior or Senior Division $300 per division due by October 30.
• More than six students advance $25 per additional student due by January 24.

Inventors

• Elementary, Middle, or High School Division $300 per division due by October 30.
• More than six students advance $25 per additional student due by January 24.

Affiliation Fee Examples

• If your school is participating in both Science and Inventors Fairs for grades 9-12, the registration fee will be $600.
• If your school is participating in inventors Fair for grades K-8, the registration fee will be $600.
• If 7 Inventors and 8 Science Fair students advance to regionals, $600 registration fee plus an additional $75 will be due.
• If 3 Inventors and 4 Science Fair students advance, $600 registration fee however no additional fee and no refund.

Write to these groups or your administration

• Student Advisory Committee
• Parent Teacher Organization
• School Budget
• Other School Level Fundraising

other ideas

• Share how beneficial these opportunities are for the students
• Ask parents to help fundraise
• See how the other clubs/sports raise funds

If my school participates in Science Fair and Inventors Fairs, what is the cost for the school fair affiliation?

The fee for each division and Fair is $300. If your school is participating in both Science and Inventors Fair, the fair affiliation fee will be $600 for the school.

If your school is participating at the Junior and Senior division for Science Fair and Middle and High division for Inventors Fair, the fair affiliation fee will be $1,200 for the school.

If a student is participating in both Science and Inventors Fairs at the regional level, does it count as one student spot or two?

The student count is per student per Fair. If they participate in both Fairs it counts as two spots.

If two or more students work as a team on a project and advance to regionals, how many student spots are used?

Each student on the team is assigned a separate student spot. If there are three students on a team, this counts as three student allocation spots.

I did not receive an invoice, who can I contact?

Invoices will come from finance@edisonfairs.org – please check your junk and spam folders as it may have gone there. Please also consider adding to this address (edisonfairs.org) to your address book to avoid missing future emails from us. Any questions on the fees and payment process can be sent to finance@edisonfairs.org.

• Display and Safety Information
• Project Board Template
• International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Forms and Forms Wizard
  The Rules Wizard has been designed as a first step to help you determine what forms and approvals are necessary before beginning a science fair project. Answer each of the 9 questions and a result page will provide a list of forms and information based on your answers; these forms and the accompanying rules should be reviewed closely with a teacher or mentor BEFORE experimentation begins.
• State Science and Engineering Fair (SSEF)
• Scientists’ Society of Southwest Florida
  Students can find the link to “ask a scientist.” Will need to use personal email to get a response back.
• Scientist in Every Florida School – Can help connect students with scientists