2027 Official Rules & Terms.

1Important Dates

EXPLR will only materially change Competition dates where circumstances outside its reasonable control make a change necessary. Any material change will be communicated as soon as reasonably practical.

2Eligibility

To enter, an applicant must:

1. be at least 13 years old as of April 11, 2027;
2. be enrolled in Grade 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 at the time of application;
3. ordinarily reside in an eligible U.S. Competition Region;
4. submit an individual project;
5. submit no more than one Competition entry;
6. meet all application and submission requirements; and
7. submit the complete application by the deadline.

Applicants who will still be under age 13 on April 11, 2027 are not eligible.

Eligible education settings may include:

• public schools;
• charter schools;
• private schools;
• magnet schools;
• career and technical education programs;
• home schools or home-education settings;
• Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools; and
• other recognized Grade 7–12 educational settings.

Home-educated students are eligible. U.S. citizenship is not required. Competition eligibility is based on the applicant's ordinary residence and educational status.

Employees, officers and directors of EXPLR who have material responsibility for administering the Competition or selecting Finalists or National STEM Champions are not eligible to enter. Members of their immediate household are also not eligible.

Students are not automatically ineligible because a teacher, mentor, school, Festival sponsor, Festival partner or other organization associated with them is involved with the Festival. Any relevant judging conflict will instead be handled under the conflict-of-interest provisions of these Rules.

3Individual Entries

Each student may submit only one entry. Team submissions are not permitted.

Students may receive appropriate assistance from teachers, mentors, parents, researchers, experts or other adults, but the project must represent the applicant's own work, decisions, contribution and understanding.

Projects developed through school, another STEM program, research program, competition, internship or similar activity may be submitted provided the applicant is entitled to submit the work and the project complies with these Rules.

Previous National STEM Festival participants may enter again. A returning participant must submit a materially different project or a substantially developed version of previous work that represents meaningful new investigation, development, testing or innovation.

4Competition Regions

Applicants compete in the Competition Region determined by their usual home address, not the location of their school.

There are 56 Competition Regions:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming
• District of Columbia & Armed Forces (AA, AE, AP)
• American Samoa
• Guam
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands

EXPLR may use address, ZIP Code, military-mailing or other reasonable information to verify Competition Region eligibility. Where an applicant's selected region appears inconsistent with the information supplied, EXPLR may request clarification and correct the Competition Region where necessary.

5Festival Themes

Each applicant must select one Festival Theme.

Manufacturing, Making & Building

Design it. Make it. Build what's next.

Advanced manufacturing · engineering · robotics · materials · construction · infrastructure · transportation · aerospace · skilled trades · digital fabrication

Technology & Intelligent Systems

Use technology to solve problems and create new possibilities.

AI · computer science · cybersecurity · robotics · autonomous systems · data science · semiconductors · AR/VR · quantum · emerging technology

Health & Human Potential

Help people live healthier, safer, and better lives.

Medicine · biology · biotechnology · biomedical engineering · genetics · neuroscience · diagnostics · assistive technology · human performance

Planet, Energy & Food

Create a healthier, more sustainable world.

Energy · environmental science · chemistry · climate · agriculture · food science · water · conservation · Earth science · sustainability

EXPLR may reasonably reclassify a project where another Festival Theme more accurately reflects the submitted work.

6Required Application Materials

Applications must be submitted through the official National STEM Festival application form. A complete submission includes:

1. applicant and eligibility information;
2. school or education-setting information;
3. Competition Region;
4. Project Title;
5. Festival Theme;
6. Project Summary;
7. Research Question, Challenge or Hypothesis;
8. Objective or Purpose;
9. Acknowledgements & References, where applicable;
10. Project PDF;
11. Project Video link;
12. Original Work declaration;
13. generative-AI disclosure;
14. Title I status; and
15. required applicant and parent/legal guardian declarations.

The written application, Project PDF and Project Video are submitted together as one Competition entry. There is no second project submission if an applicant later becomes a Finalist.

7One-Session Submission

The application system does not provide account creation, save-and-return functionality or substantive post-submission editing. Applicants should have all required materials ready before beginning.

Applicants are responsible for reviewing the application carefully before selecting Submit Application. Once submitted, the substantive project entry may not be edited, replaced or resubmitted.

Applicants may contact EXPLR to correct inaccurate personal or contact information. Such corrections do not permit substantive changes to the project, written responses, Project PDF or Project Video.

EXPLR may request a limited technical correction where, for example, a submitted file is corrupted or a Project Video link is inaccessible. A technical replacement must contain substantially the same material originally submitted and may not be used to improve or materially alter an entry after the deadline.

8Written Application Requirements

• Project Title — maximum 100 characters
• Project Summary — maximum 300 words
• Research Question, Challenge or Hypothesis — maximum 100 words
• Objective or Purpose — maximum 100 words
• Acknowledgements & References — optional
• How did you hear about the National STEM Festival? — optional

Blind Review

Phase 1 judges review the applicant's written project information and Project PDF anonymously.

Applicants must not include their name, school or education-setting name, teacher or mentor name, social-media usernames, contact information or other identifying information in the Project Title, written project responses or Project PDF.

Where acknowledgements are necessary, applicants should describe support without identifying individuals where reasonably possible, for example “my science teacher” or “a university mentor.”

9Project PDF Requirements

The Project PDF must:

• be in PDF format;
• be no more than 3 pages;
• be no more than 5MB;
• use a minimum 12-point font for substantive text;
• contain the applicant's own project information and authorized materials; and
• comply with the blind-review requirements.

The PDF may contain:

• photographs of the project;
• prototype images;
• diagrams;
• charts;
• drawings;
• sketches;
• data;
• experimental results;
• models; and
• other relevant visuals.

Applicants must not include:

• their name;
• their face or identifiable portrait;
• school or education-setting name;
• teacher or mentor name;
• email address;
• telephone number;
• social-media usernames; or
• other unnecessary identifying information.

Applicants are responsible for following the anonymization requirements. EXPLR may remove incidental identifying information where reasonably practical but is not required to repair a submission that substantially fails to comply.

10Project Video Requirements

A Project Video is required as part of the original application. Requirements:

• maximum 2 minutes;
• applicant must appear on camera;
• applicant must identify themselves;
• video submitted by URL;
• video may be unlisted;
• video does not need to be publicly searchable;
• video must open without an individual permission request;
• video must be accessible to authorized Festival staff and judges;
• video must remain available throughout judging; and
• video must be downloadable by EXPLR.

Where a password or access code is required, the applicant must provide it with the application.

The video should answer:

1. What is your project?
2. What problem, question or opportunity does it address?
3. What did you do, investigate or create?
4. What could we expect to see or experience at the Festival if you are selected to present?

Applicants may show prototypes, demonstrations, experiments, models, data or other appropriate project materials. Professional production is not required and production quality is not itself a judging criterion.

The Project Video is not shown to Phase 1 judges. Judges are not required to review websites, videos, files or other external materials beyond the materials required by these Rules.

11Sensitive Personal Information

Applicants must not include identifiable medical records, diagnoses, genetic information, biometric information or other sensitive personal information about themselves or another person in their written application, Project PDF or Project Video.

Projects involving human participants should use anonymized or aggregated information in the Competition submission.

Applicants must not submit personal information about research participants, patients or other individuals unless EXPLR specifically requests it through an appropriate separate process.

12Original Work, Mentors & Artificial Intelligence

The project and submission must represent the applicant's own work and understanding. Applicants may appropriately use assistance and tools including:

• teachers;
• mentors;
• parents or guardians;
• researchers or experts;
• software;
• analytical tools; and
• artificial-intelligence tools.

Assistance must support rather than replace the applicant's intellectual contribution and understanding. Applicants remain responsible for the accuracy, integrity and originality of their submission.

Applicants must disclose whether they used generative AI while developing their project or application and, where required, briefly explain that use. Use of generative AI does not automatically disqualify an entry. Submitting copied, fabricated, AI-generated or third-party work as though it were the applicant's own may result in disqualification.

EXPLR may ask an applicant to explain their methodology, sources, mentor involvement, use of AI or individual contribution where reasonably necessary to confirm compliance.

13Content & Appropriateness

Applicants must have the right to submit all material contained in their entry. Submissions must not knowingly include:

• plagiarized material;
• material infringing another person's copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other legal rights;
• confidential information submitted without authority;
• unlawful material;
• defamatory material;
• threatening material;
• hateful or discriminatory material;
• sexually explicit or obscene material;
• material presenting an unreasonable safety concern; or
• other content reasonably considered inappropriate for a youth STEM program.

Sources, quotations and third-party materials should be appropriately acknowledged where applicable.

A legitimate STEM project is not prohibited merely because it relates to politics, public policy, religion, elections, government or another potentially sensitive subject.

14Intellectual Property

Applicants retain ownership of their original project and intellectual property.

Applicants remain responsible for deciding what information about an invention, discovery or potentially protectable idea they wish to disclose. Applicants who believe their project may contain patentable, commercially sensitive or otherwise protectable intellectual property should consider obtaining appropriate advice before submitting or publicly presenting the project.

Submission to the National STEM Festival does not itself provide patent, copyright, trade-secret or other intellectual-property protection.

15Limited Application License

By entering, applicants grant EXPLR a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free right to copy, store, download, process and share the application, Project PDF and Project Video with authorized staff, contractors and judges where reasonably necessary to:

• administer the Competition;
• conduct judging;
• verify eligibility or compliance;
• maintain Competition records; and
• comply with applicable legal obligations.

Submitting an application alone does not grant EXPLR a general right to publicly promote the applicant's Project Video, photographs, quotes or complete application. Additional provisions apply if the applicant becomes a Finalist or National STEM Champion.

16Phase 1 Review & Scoring

All eligible entries enter Phase 1. Phase 1 uses a blind-review process. Judges do not receive:

• applicant name;
• applicant photograph;
• date of birth;
• contact information;
• parent/legal guardian information;
• demographic information;
• school or education-setting identity;
• Title I status;
• Opportunity Bonus information; or
• Project Video.

The Project Score is out of 100 points:

17Title I Opportunity Bonus

The Competition includes a 5-point Opportunity Bonus for eligible applicants attending a school designated as Title I eligible.

Application question: Is your school currently designated as Title I eligible? Answers:

• Yes
• No
• Unsure

EXPLR may verify Title I eligibility using the most recently available NCES Common Core of Data, U.S. Department of Education information, official school or district information or another reasonably reliable official source.

The Opportunity Bonus:

• is exactly 5 points;
• is not shown to judges;
• does not alter the score awarded by an individual judge;
• is added administratively to the Phase 1 Selection Score;
• is used only to determine advancement to Finalist status;
• does not carry into Phase 2;
• does not carry into the Final Competition Score; and
• does not directly determine Champion selection.

Applicants whose school cannot reasonably be verified as Title I eligible do not receive the Opportunity Bonus unless EXPLR receives sufficient official evidence. A home-school applicant who does not attend a qualifying Title I school does not receive the Opportunity Bonus. EXPLR does not require household-income information to administer this Competition bonus.

18Finalist Selection

Up to 8 applicants from each Competition Region may be designated Finalists. With 56 Competition Regions, a maximum of 448 Finalists may be selected.

Finalists will ordinarily be selected based on the highest Phase 1 Selection Scores within each Competition Region, subject to eligibility and compliance. A Competition Region is not guaranteed eight Finalists. Fewer may be selected where fewer eligible and compliant entries are available.

Finalists are scheduled to be announced on May 12, 2027.

19Public Recognition of Finalists

EXPLR may publicly identify a Finalist by:

• name;
• Competition Region; and
• project title.

This may appear on nationalstemfestival.com; EXPLR or National STEM Festival social-media channels; Festival announcements; press information; and materials identifying the 2027 Finalist cohort.

Becoming a Finalist does not automatically authorize EXPLR to publicly use the applicant's Project Video, approved photographs, biography, quotes, media responses or complete application for promotional purposes.

20Finalist Information & Champion Media Agreement

Every Finalist must complete a separate Finalist Information & Champion Media Agreement by the deadline stated in the Finalist notification to remain eligible for National STEM Champion selection. The form may collect:

• confirmation of personal information;
• up to two approved photographs;
• short biography;
• approved quotes;
• media-preparation responses;
• updated contact information;
• Champion publicity acknowledgement; and
• other information reasonably necessary for Finalist and potential Champion administration.

For Finalists under 18, the student provides an acknowledgement and a parent or legal guardian executes the agreement electronically. Finalists age 18 or older may execute the agreement themselves.

Signing this agreement while a Finalist does not mean the student has already been selected as a National STEM Champion. By committing in advance to attend the Festival and accept Champion status if selected, the Finalist conditionally accepts National STEM Champion status. The broader Champion media provisions become effective if and when EXPLR officially selects the Finalist as a National STEM Champion, without requiring a further acceptance before a public selection announcement.

21Phase 2 Review & Scoring

Finalists do not submit a new project. Phase 2 uses materials already included in the original Competition application. Phase 2 judges may review:

• the original written project submission;
• Project PDF;
• Project Video;
• relevant Phase 1 judging information; and
• other information reasonably necessary for judging.

Demographic information, Title I status and Opportunity Bonus information are not provided to Phase 2 judges for scoring purposes.

The Project Video is scored out of 100 points:

22Final Competition Score

The maximum Final Competition Score is 100 points. The Phase 1 Project Score used in this calculation is the judge-awarded Project Score without the Title I Opportunity Bonus.

A Finalist must achieve a Final Competition Score of at least 65 out of 100 to be eligible for selection as a National STEM Champion.

23Regional National STEM Champion Selection

One Regional National STEM Champion place is initially allocated to each of the 56 Competition Regions. Up to 56 Regional National STEM Champions may therefore be selected. A Competition Region is not guaranteed a National STEM Champion.

To be eligible, a Finalist must:

• achieve at least 65/100;
• remain eligible;
• comply with Competition requirements;
• complete required Finalist/Champion documentation; and
• be able to accept Champion status.

Champions are scheduled to be announced on June 22, 2027.

24Reallocation of Regional Champion Places

If a Competition Region has no qualifying Finalist, no Finalist who achieves the required minimum score, no eligible Finalist able to accept Champion status, or otherwise has an unfilled Regional Champion place, EXPLR may reallocate that place to a qualifying Finalist from another Competition Region.

Reallocated places will be awarded based on Final Competition Scores, the published tie-breaking procedures and continued compliance with all Competition requirements.

A Competition Region may therefore ultimately have more than one Regional National STEM Champion. The total number of Regional National STEM Champions will never exceed 56.

25Special Award National STEM Champions

EXPLR may select up to 8 additional Special Award National STEM Champions, creating a maximum 2027 U.S. Champion cohort of 64 students.

Special Award criteria and any additional eligibility requirements will be separately published. Unless otherwise stated, a Special Award Champion must:

• be an eligible applicant;
• have reached Finalist status;
• comply with all Competition requirements; and
• achieve at least 65/100.

Special Awards may be selected by EXPLR and/or an appropriately qualified sponsoring or partner organization under published criteria.

26Champion Attendance Requirement

National STEM Champion is an in-person participation designation.

Required in-person Festival: Washington, DC — October 19–24, 2027.

To remain eligible for Champion selection, a Finalist must confirm in advance that they are able and willing to attend the applicable National STEM Festival and accept the required Champion participation conditions.

A student selected as a National STEM Champion must attend the Festival in person and substantially participate in required Champion programming.

A selected student who becomes unable to attend may remain recognized as a Finalist but cannot retain National STEM Champion status. EXPLR may offer the resulting Champion place to another qualifying Finalist in accordance with these Rules.

Some Champion selections may be announced through live, recorded, school, community or media surprise reveals. Finalists who remain eligible for Champion selection, and parents or legal guardians where applicable, authorize such a public selection announcement through the Finalist Information & Champion Media Agreement.

27Judges & Conflicts of Interest

The National STEM Festival may use a large judging community consisting of educators, scientists, engineers, researchers, industry professionals, Festival partners, sponsor representatives and other appropriately qualified reviewers. Employment by or affiliation with a Festival sponsor or partner does not by itself prevent a person from serving as a judge.

Judges must certify that they will:

• judge fairly and impartially;
• maintain confidentiality;
• use Competition information only for judging;
• disclose actual or potential conflicts; and
• recuse themselves where they cannot judge objectively.

Examples of conflicts:

• applicant is a family or household member;
• judge directly teaches or mentors the applicant;
• judge materially contributed to the project;
• relevant financial, personal or professional relationship; or
• another circumstance reasonably affecting impartiality.

EXPLR may reassign entries where a conflict is disclosed or identified. No sponsor, partner or judge is entitled to select a winner because of sponsorship, financial support or organizational affiliation.

Where applicable law or Competition standards require independent judging, EXPLR will include an appropriately qualified independent judge or independent member in the relevant selection process.

28Tie-Breaking

If a Phase 1 tie affects Finalist selection:

1. higher Positive Impact score;
2. higher Innovation, Creativity & Originality score; then
3. additional qualified judge review.

If a Final Competition tie affects Champion selection:

1. higher Phase 1 Positive Impact score;
2. higher Phase 2 Communication & Persuasiveness score;
3. higher Phase 1 Innovation, Creativity & Originality score; then
4. additional appropriately qualified judge review.

The same process applies where a tie affects reallocation of an unfilled Regional Champion place.

29National STEM Champion Prize

Up to 64 National STEM Champions may ultimately be selected: up to 56 Regional National STEM Champions; and up to 8 Special Award National STEM Champions.

Each Champion will be invited to participate in the 2027 National STEM Festival in Washington, DC, October 19–24, 2027.

The Champion package is 5 nights / 6 days, with an approximate retail value of up to $2,500 per Champion package. The Champion package may include, as arranged or approved by EXPLR:

• reasonable round-trip transportation to Washington, DC;
• Festival hotel accommodation;
• participation in National STEM Festival programming;
• specified Festival meals; and
• specified Festival activities.

Actual value will vary depending on travel origin, accommodation requirements and arrangements made by EXPLR.

30Accompanying Adult Requirements

Champion Under 18

A Champion under 18 must attend with one parent or legal guardian. The Champion package includes specified reasonable travel and hotel accommodation for that parent or legal guardian. A friend, teacher, mentor, sibling or other adult may not serve as the required accompanying adult unless that person is the Champion's legal guardian.

Champion Age 18 or Older

A Champion age 18 or older is not required to travel with a parent or legal guardian. Where the Champion package includes an accompanying-adult benefit, an adult Champion may elect to bring one parent or legal guardian. The accompanying-person benefit may not be transferred to a friend, partner or other companion unless EXPLR expressly approves otherwise. If an adult Champion travels without an eligible accompanying adult, the unused benefit has no cash or transferable value.

31Prize Conditions

Prizes:

• have no cash alternative;
• may not be sold;
• are non-transferable except where EXPLR expressly permits otherwise; and
• are subject to reasonable travel, hotel, safeguarding and Festival participation requirements.

EXPLR may substitute a prize element with a reasonably equivalent or greater-value alternative where circumstances outside its reasonable control make the original element unavailable.

Champions and accompanying adults are responsible for:

• required identification;
• transportation-provider requirements;
• personal spending;
• optional activities;
• expenses not expressly included; and
• applicable taxes.

Winners may be required to provide a Form W-9 or other tax documentation where required by applicable law. Winners are responsible for any federal, state or local tax obligations arising from a prize.

32Public Role of National STEM Champions

The National STEM Festival is a public-facing program. National STEM Champions are selected not only to receive a prize but also to represent and publicly present their projects as part of the Festival. Applicants should understand before entering that accepting National STEM Champion status includes public recognition and participation in Festival communications and media.

If Champion status is accepted, permitted materials may include:

• name;
• Competition Region;
• project title;
• EXPLR-prepared public-facing project description;
• approved biography;
• up to two approved photographs;
• submitted Project Video;
• approved quotes and media responses;
• interviews and statements;
• Festival photography;
• Festival video and audio; and
• images of the Champion presenting or demonstrating the project.

EXPLR may reasonably edit, shorten, caption, excerpt, format or adapt Champion materials for grammar, length, clarity, accessibility or general-audience communication, provided EXPLR does not knowingly materially misrepresent the Champion or project.

33Festival, Partner & Sponsor Media Use

If a Finalist becomes a National STEM Champion and accepts Champion status, EXPLR may provide or make available approved Champion materials and Festival-created photography, video or audio to official National STEM Festival sponsors, partners, exhibitors and program collaborators for Festival-related use.

Festival-related use means communicating, documenting or promoting that organization's participation in, support of or association with the National STEM Festival or related EXPLR educational programming. Examples:

• organization websites;
• organic social-media posts;
• Festival partnership announcements;
• Festival recaps;
• event presentations;
• educational communications;
• corporate-responsibility or community-impact communications;
• internal employee communications;
• Festival reports; and
• impact reports.

Uses requiring separate permission

Without separate permission from the Champion and, where applicable, parent or legal guardian, a partner or sponsor may not use Champion materials:

• as endorsement of a specific product or service;
• in standalone product or service advertising;
• in unrelated paid commercial advertising;
• on commercial merchandise;
• for resale or licensing;
• for AI model training;
• to create a synthetic or simulated Champion voice, face or likeness; or
• for unrelated commercial campaigns.

34News & Editorial Media

EXPLR may provide approved Champion information and materials to bona fide news, broadcast, print, digital, radio, podcast and other editorial media organizations for coverage of the National STEM Festival, the Champion, the Champion's project, STEM education, youth innovation or related Festival topics. Information may include:

• name;
• Competition Region;
• project title;
• public-facing description;
• biography;
• approved photograph;
• approved quotes;
• submitted Project Video; and
• Festival photography or video.

EXPLR may facilitate photography, filming or interviews during Festival activities. Participation in an individually arranged interview will be coordinated with the Champion and, for a Champion under 18, their parent or legal guardian.

Independent editorial organizations are responsible for their own lawful editorial activities. EXPLR may not control all subsequent editorial use or archival availability after independent coverage is published or broadcast.

35Media Duration

EXPLR may actively reuse approved Champion photographs, Project Video, approved quotes, media responses and Festival-created media for Festival-related communications for up to five years following the 2027 National STEM Festival.

Previously published historical Festival materials may remain publicly accessible after that period as part of the National STEM Festival's historical archive.

36Safeguarding & Exceptional Privacy Concerns

A Finalist, Champion or parent/legal guardian may contact EXPLR if public identification creates a genuine safeguarding, security or exceptional privacy concern.

EXPLR will consider reasonable measures to reduce identifying information or modify a particular use where reasonably possible while preserving the integrity and essential public-facing nature of National STEM Champion participation.

37Notification & Acceptance

Finalists and National STEM Champions will be contacted using the applicant and, where applicable, parent/legal guardian contact information supplied through the Competition process. Applicants are responsible for providing accurate contact information and monitoring relevant inboxes, including spam or junk folders. EXPLR will make reasonable attempts to contact selected applicants.

EXPLR may select an alternate qualifying applicant if someone:

• cannot be contacted after reasonable attempts;
• is found ineligible;
• supplied materially inaccurate eligibility information;
• fails to complete required documentation by the stated deadline without reasonable explanation;
• declines Finalist or Champion status; or
• cannot meet essential Champion participation requirements.

38Technical Problems

Applicants are responsible for having access to equipment, software and internet connectivity reasonably necessary to submit an application. Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the final minutes before the deadline. EXPLR is not responsible for technical problems outside its reasonable control.

If a technical failure affecting EXPLR's application system materially prevents applicants from submitting, EXPLR may take reasonable steps to administer the Competition fairly, including considering evidence of a timely attempted submission or extending the deadline where appropriate.

39Disqualification

EXPLR may disqualify an applicant where it reasonably determines that the applicant:

• does not meet eligibility requirements;
• submitted materially false or misleading information;
• submitted plagiarized work;
• misrepresented another person's or AI-generated work as their own;
• substantially failed to comply with submission requirements;
• improperly interfered with the application or judging process;
• attempted to manipulate eligibility or scoring;
• submitted prohibited or unlawful material;
• breached confidentiality or other Competition requirements; or
• engaged in conduct materially compromising Competition integrity or safety.

Where reasonable and appropriate, EXPLR may request clarification before making a final determination.

40Administrative Errors

Judging decisions concerning the subjective merits of entries are final. Applicants may not appeal an individual judge's subjective scoring decision.

EXPLR may correct:

• calculation errors;
• data-processing errors;
• Competition Region classification errors;
• eligibility errors; and
• clear administrative mistakes.

Where such an error materially affects a selection outcome, EXPLR may take reasonable steps to correct the outcome fairly.

41Changes, Suspension or Cancellation

EXPLR will administer the Competition in accordance with these published Rules. Material Competition terms, closing dates, judging arrangements or prize structures will not be changed after the Competition begins except where circumstances outside EXPLR's reasonable control make a change reasonably necessary.

Any material change will be communicated clearly and implemented as fairly as reasonably possible. If circumstances outside EXPLR's reasonable control make part or all of the Competition impossible, unlawful or unsafe to operate, EXPLR may suspend, modify or cancel affected elements after taking reasonable account of applicant interests.

42Privacy

Applicant information is processed as described in the National STEM Festival U.S. Application Privacy Notice. At a high level:

• demographic information is not shown to judges;
• Title I information is not shown to judges;
• Opportunity Bonus information is not shown to judges;
• Phase 1 uses blind review;
• the Project Video is not shown to Phase 1 judges; and
• information may be used for Competition administration, eligibility, judging, impact measurement, Finalist/Champion administration, Festival participation, travel and other purposes described in the Privacy Notice.

Where an applicant becomes a Finalist or National STEM Champion, additional information may be processed under the Finalist Information & Champion Media Agreement and Champion participation documents.

43Liability & Release

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, applicants and, where applicable, their parent or legal guardian agree to release and hold harmless EXPLR PBC, Inc., its officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors and authorized Competition administrators from claims arising directly from participation in the Competition or acceptance or use of a prize, except to the extent caused by conduct for which liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

EXPLR is not responsible for loss caused by circumstances outside its reasonable control or for indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages to the extent such limitations are permitted by applicable law.

Nothing in these Rules excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

44Dispute Resolution & Governing Law

These Official Rules & Terms and the Competition are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

Except where prohibited by applicable law, any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to the Competition or these Rules that cannot be resolved informally will be resolved through binding arbitration before a neutral arbitrator in or near Kings County, New York.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the parties waive the right to a trial by jury for claims subject to arbitration. Except where prohibited by applicable law, no party may recover indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages arising from the Competition.

Each party will bear its own legal fees and costs unless applicable law or the arbitrator provides otherwise. Judgment on an arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. Nothing in this section limits rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be waived.

45Questions & Complaints

Questions regarding eligibility, submission requirements, Competition administration, suspected conflicts of interest, technical issues or suspected administrative errors may be sent to: nationalstemfestival@explr-media.com

EXPLR will aim to consider Competition concerns fairly and reasonably.

46Promoter & Companion Documents

The promoter is:

EXPLR PBC, Inc.
82 Nassau Street #60050
New York, NY 10038
United States

Email: nationalstemfestival@explr-media.com
Website: nationalstemfestival.com

These Rules should be read alongside the:

• Application Guide
• Application Privacy Notice
• Finalist Information & Champion Media Agreement, where applicable
• Special Award criteria, where applicable
• Champion Travel & Participation terms, where applicable

If explanatory application-page copy conflicts with these Official Rules & Terms, these Rules govern, subject always to applicable law.