Timeline

CEF’s Challenge Program is a collaborative, multilevel student science competition that celebrates science and elevates STEM careers. To find out more about the Challenge, please click here. 5^th-8^th grade students are eligible to compete in teams of three – four.

August-September 2025

Engage students for a fun and exciting STEM Challenge at the start of the school year.
There is no limit to the number of teams, and you don’t have to know team composition at this stage.

October 1, 2025

Challenge Registration and Team Submission opens.

Rules and study material released.

Teams can begin working on their video, to be submitted in March.

End of December 2025

Registration closes.

Beginning of January 2026

Deadline for Team Coordinators to complete Team Submission

January 2026

In-person Regional Challenge events begin.

Beginning of March 2026

Virtual Regional Challenge on one of these dates (selected during Team Submission). Teams may submit answers as a group or answer questions individually. If team members answer questions individually, their scores will be averaged.
*Virtual Regional Challenges are only for Teams that do not have an In-person Regional Challenge near them.

March 2026

Video Submission deadline.
Teams collaborate throughout the year to create a video based on the year’s prompt that will be evaluated.
*All teams must create and submit a video to be considered as a State Winner and a National Finalists.