Schedule & Announcements
Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair 2026
Please see below for fair week instructions by grade level.Dear Parents, Guardians, and Teachers of Our Young Scientists,
Thank you for your participation in the Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair 2026 — Elementary Division! We are excited to celebrate the hard work and curiosity of the next generation of STEM leaders on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, University Center.
Please review the following information carefully to help make this a wonderful experience for every student.
DURING JUDGING: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
To create a respectful and focused environment for every student:
- Students must put away/silence cell phones,tablets, books, and activities while judges are at their board.
- TheAnchor Ballroom doors will be closed during judging. Projects not set up by the time the doors close will not be permitted. Parents/guardians will be asked to wait in the University Center outside of the exhibit hall while judging is in progress. Parents and guests will not be permitted back into the exhibit hall until public viewing and board pickup begins.
- Students must remain at their displays for the entire judging period and be ready to discuss their projects with judges.Restroom breaks are permitted – chaperones will be available to walk students to the restroom or assist with other questions.
ATTIRE
We encourage students to dress professionally for the competition. Think of this as their opportunity to present themselves as young scientists! Business casual or school-appropriate attire is recommended. Please avoid flip-flops and athletic wear.
WHAT TO BRING/WHAT NOT TO BRING
In addition to their displays, students may bring a non-messy snack, a water bottle (no other liquids), and a book or small activity. Bringing valuables is discouraged. Electronic devices are allowed but should not create distractions or noise audible to other participants. Please do not bring chairs. Two chairs will be provided at each station.
DISPLAY BOARD REQUIREMENTS
Each backboard should include: Title, Statement of the Problem or Question, Hypothesis, Materials, Procedure, Observations/Data (charts, tables, graphs), and Conclusions/Inferences.
Size Limits: Display boards may not exceed 48" wide, 30" deep, or 72" tall. All boards must be self-standing. Projects will be displayed on 36-inch high tables.
ITEMS NOT ALLOWED ON DISPLAY
The following items are prohibited and must be removed before judging:
- Glass or glass objects
- Glitter
- Liquids of any kind, including water
- Organic materials (soil, dirt, sand, rocks, gravel)
- Food (including human or animal food)
- Living, dead, or preserved organisms (plants or animals)
- Human or animal parts or body fluids
- Bacteria or mold cultures
- Sharp items (syringes, needles, knives, tacks, nails)
- Hazardous chemicals, poisons, drugs, or controlled substances
- Photographs of surgical techniques, dissections, or necropsies
Tip: Use photographs, drawings, stuffed animals, artificial plants, or imitation food to represent items. Students should photograph their project steps as visual explanations of their work.
ADDITIONAL REMINDERS
- Electricity will NOT be provided. Electrical projects may use enclosed batteries only.
- Expensive, breakable, or fragile items are discouraged.
- Please plan to arrive on time. Late arrivals may not be admitted once the exhibit hall doors close for judging.
DISMISSAL
- Parents are responsible for picking up their child after the award ceremony and will be given a sheet of paper with their student’s name to give to an employee or staff to ensure all students are safely returned to their proper guardian.
- Dismissal for K–2 and 3–5 will take place in Lonestar Ballroom 142 B and C as soon as judging ends.(Note that this is a different, adjacent ballroom from the one where judging takes place.) Judging end times may vary from the posted times depending on judging progress. Parents should remain in the vicinity of the Lonestar Ballroom for announcements. Students will receive a participation certificate and photo opportunity as they cross the stage upon dismissal.
AWARDS & PHOTOS
An award of first, second, or third place ranking will be placed on each board and can be picked up upon public viewing and board removal. Awards and photos will additionally be posted after the event at sciencefair.tamucc.edu (or scan the QR code). Boards left behind after public viewing will be discarded.
For complete guidelines, visit:
https://www.tamucc.edu/education/events/sciencefair/fair-elementary.php
If you have any questions, please contact us at cbsciencefair@tamucc.edu.
We are so proud of the effort each student has put into their project and look forward to an inspiring day of science!
Warm regards,
Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair Team
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Friday, February 13, 2026 (Virtual for grades 6-12)
Saturday, February 14, 2026 (In person for grades K-5)
- Fair day schedule (pdf)
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are excited to share important information about the Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair (CBRSF) for students in grades 6–12. Please review the details below regarding judging, results, advancement, and awards.
Judging Process (Grades 6–12)
- All projects are judged virtually. Students will not attend the fair in person.
- Judges review student submissions and watch the videos.
- Each project is evaluated using the official CBRSF judging rubric, which can be viewed here:
https://www.tamucc.edu/education/events/sciencefair/files/judging-rubric.pdf - Projects are typically reviewed by two judges, with additional judges assigned for special awards as needed.
Results & Award Announcements
- Results will be posted on the CBRSF Awards webpage:
https://www.tamucc.edu/education/events/sciencefair/awards-photos.php - We anticipate results will be posted by February 13th by 9 pm.
- This page will list students receiving awards and those advancing to the next level of competition.
Advancement & Next Steps
- Students who earn qualifying results may advance to:
- Texas Science & Engineering Fair (TxSEF)
- International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) (Senior Division only) - Two projects will be selected for ISEF qualification from the Senior Division by a dedicated ISEF judging team.
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- Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Junior Division only) - The top 10% of qualifying Junior Division projects will be selected.
- Advancement depends on category placement and eligibility criteria.
- Families of advancing students will receive detailed follow-up instructions after results are posted.
Awards & Prizes
- All registered participants will receive a Certificate of Participation.
- Category winners and special award recipients will receive additional awards.
- Awards and prizes will be distributed after the fair, to the participant’s schools.
At this stage, no additional action is required from families unless contacted directly regarding advancement or awards. Thank you for supporting your students’ hard work, curiosity, and dedication to scientific inquiry.
We appreciate your partnership and look forward to celebrating our students’ achievements!
Sincerely,
Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair Team
Info session January 5
We are holding a STEM Wizard information session on Monday, January 5th at 7 PM. Please share with teachers and parents who have students attending the upcoming fair.
STEM Wizard Informational/Getting Started Meeting: Zoom
Monday, January 5 7PM
Announcements & resources:
- Junior-Senior Division Fair is now a Virtual Fair for 2026. Students will be judged on the basis of their virtual project board and STEM Wizard project description entries, and a 2-minute video.
- Important: Junior and Senior Fair Participants are expected to COMPLETE their STEM Wizard forms and documentation by or before 2 weeks after their Local/district fairs.
- District orientation slides
Important dates:
December 1, 2025: District Affiliation deadline
February 2, 2026: K-12 Student registration deadline. *All 6-12 projects must be approved in STEM Wizard before the Regional Fair date or risk being disqualified.
February 10, 2026: District payments due
February 13, 2026: Virtual Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair (Junior Division, grades 6-12)
February 14, 2026: Coastal Bend Regional Science Fair (Elementary Division, grades K-5)
February 16, 2026: Project Approvals for TXSEF
March 27-28, 2026: Texas State Science and Engineering Fair (College Station, TX)
May 9-15, 2026: ISEF (Phoenix, AZ)