2025 Gwinnett County Regional Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair: Inspiring the next generation of science and engineering leaders from the classroom to career

     The 2025 Gwinnett County Regional Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair, scheduled for Thursday, February 27, 2025, marks the 47th anniversary of this prestigious event that shines a spotlight on outstanding science students. The event—which will take place at the Gas South District, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, in Duluth—will feature more than 800 projects produced by students from 115 elementary, middle, and high schools, one special entity, and five schools that are not a part of Gwinnett County Public Schools that operate in the county. These projects, representing the best of student research and engineering in Gwinnett County, showcase the creativity and innovation of more than 1,600 students across K-12.

     More than 1,100 middle and high school students representing every GCPS cluster are participating, making this year’s competition the largest Regeneron International Science & Engineering affiliated fair in the nation. Students will compete in 22 project categories, including Biomedical Engineering, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Environmental Engineering, and Robotics & Intelligent Machines. They will be judged by Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professionals who will assess them on scientific quality, accuracy, creativity, engineering precision, experimental design, and impact.

Jessica Holden, GCPS Director of Middle and High School Science, is impressed with this year’s submissions. “With project titles like 'Employing Polyphenols for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment' and A 'Portable Microplastic Detector for Water using UV-Vis-NIR Spectroscopy', students this year are demonstrating incredible scientific knowledge and skills, creativity, and application of their learning to make a positive impact,” Holden shares. “Through their projects, students are exploring real-world challenges and developing innovative solutions—from engineering prototypes to solve everyday problems to technically sophisticated innovation to improve science and engineering fields—students are working to impact society for the greater good.”

     The event’s youngest scientists and engineers will have the opportunity to showcase their projects in the elementary fair, which develops student interest and talent in STEM by inspiring students to solve local problems using Design Thinking. Students from 74 GCPS elementary schools will participate and share their solutions to challenges, such as increasing pollinators in their community and helping develop recycling solutions for their playgrounds. Additionally, more than 1,100 students attending our Play 2 Learn and Pre-K programs had the opportunity to complete classroom projects at their local schools. Their projects will be showcased during the regional fair this Thursday.

     Kristin Luthi, GCPS Director of Science K-5, is excited about the opportunity for elementary school students in Gwinnett. “Introducing students to STEM at an early age lays the foundation for future innovation and critical thinking,” Luthi shares. “By sparking curiosity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, we inspire young learners to explore new ideas, tackle challenges, and become the problem-solvers who will shape the world of tomorrow.”

     In addition to participating in in-depth project interviews with judges, students at each level will have the opportunity to take part in STEM workshops that provide activities and ways for students to engage with more than 20 local and global community partners to learn more about STEM careers, skills, and opportunities.

     Sponsors will award more than $30,000 of scholarships, special awards, and project advancements at this year’s Gwinnett Regional Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair. The top elementary projects for each specified problem will be awarded. Place awards, special awards, scholarships, and advancement to the Georgia Science & Engineering Fair will be given to top middle school and high school projects across the 22 categories. The Grand Award for top high school projects will include an expense-paid trip to compete alongside students from more than 75 countries at the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio, in May. Awards will be announced on March 3, 2025.

    

The following 115 schools have students and projects competing this year:

Archer Cluster: Archer HS Cooper ES Harbins ES Lovin ES	Mill Creek Cluster: Mill Creek HS Osborne MS Duncan Creek ES Fort Daniel ES Puckett’s Mill ES
Berkmar Cluster: Berkmar HS Berkmar MS Sweetwater MS Hopkins ES Minor ES (Play 2 Learn) Corley ES Bethesda ES	Mountain View Cluster: Mountain View HS Twin Rivers MS Freeman’s Mill ES Dyer ES
Brookwood Cluster: Brookwood HS Crews MS Five Forks MS Brookwood ES (Play 2 Learn) Craig ES Gwin Oaks ES	Norcross Cluster: Paul Duke STEM HS Pinckneyville MS Summerour MS Beaver Ridge ES Baldwin ES Simpson ES Stripling ES Norcross ES North Metro Academy of Performing Arts
Central Gwinnett Cluster: Central Gwinnett HS Moore MS Jenkins ES Simonton ES Winn Holt ES	North Gwinnett Cluster: North Gwinnett HS North Gwinnett MS Level Creek ES Roberts ES Suwanee ES Riverside ES
Collins Hill Cluster: Collins Hill HS Creekland MS McKendree ES Taylor ES Walnut Grove ES Rock Springs ES	Parkview Cluster: Parkview HS Trickum MS Arcado ES Jackson ES Knight ES Camp Creek ES
Dacula Cluster Dacula HS Dacula MS Mulberry ES Dacula ES	Peachtree Ridge Cluster: Peachtree Ridge HS Hull MS Northbrook MS Mason ES Jackson ES
Discovery Cluster: Discovery HS Alford ES Baggett ES Benefield ES	Seckinger Cluster: Seckinger HS Jones MS Ivy Creek ES Harmony ES Patrick ES
Duluth Cluster: Duluth HS Coleman MS Berkeley Lake ES (Play 2 Learn) Chesney ES Chattahoochee ES (Play 2 Learn)	Shiloh Cluster: Shiloh HS Shiloh MS Annistown ES Centerville ES
Grayson Cluster: Grayson HS Bay Creek MS Pharr ES Trip ES Starling ES Grayson ES	South Gwinnett Cluster: South Gwinnett HS Grace Snell MS Snellville MS Norton ES Magill ES
Lanier Cluster: Lanier HS Lanier MS Sugar Hill ES Sycamore ES White Oak ES	GCPS Special Entities: Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Non-GCPS Schools: BIA Charter School City of Knowledge School Greater Atlanta Christian School Thrive Christian Academy Wesleyan School