What is the CEF You Be The Solution Challenge™? 

The Challenge is a fun, free STEM-based competition for students in grades 5-8. Students participate in teams of 3-4. Learn more here.

Is there a fee? 

There is no fee to participate in the Challenge. It is a free competition. 

How do I sign-up? 

Registration will open on our website in early October for each Challenge cycle. 

What is the Challenge structure? 

    • Students in 5th-8th grade in teams of 3-4 students answer timed questions at a Regional Challenge.
    • Teams simultaneously create videos in which they address an innovative solution to a community-based challenge.
    • Regional Challenge and video scores are combined to determine State Winners.
    • Top 5 state winning teams advance to the National Challenge, present their innovative solution to an expert panel of judges, and compete for scholarships!

What happens if there is not a Regional Challenge available in my area? 

Students can participate in one of the two virtual Regional Challenge dates. Teams only need to attend one, and all team members must participate on the same day. All virtual events are held in the Eastern Time Zone. Additional details will be shared with Team Coordinators who do not have an in-person Regional Challenge nearby as the dates approach.

Please note: The National Challenge will be held in person this June in Houston, TX.

Where can I find the rules? 

The rules can be found on our website here. 

Where can I find the study material?  

The study material can be found on our website here. The online interactive study material will be provided to Team Coordinators once they register. 

Do students have to participate through their school?  

Students do not need a teacher to participate. The Team Coordinator may be a parent, teacher, tutor, mentor, or other adult leader.

If the Team Coordinator is affiliated with a school, they should select “Through a School” when registering for the Challenge and write the name of the school.

If the Team Coordinator is not affiliated with a school, they should select “Independently” when registering for the Challenge. If students are participating through an organization outside of their school, please write the organization’s name. For example, if a parent or mentor is serving as the Team Coordinator, you may list it as “Parent-Led Team” or “Mentor-Led Team.”

What is the role of a Team Coordinator? 

Schools or teams need a Team Coordinator to participate. Team Coordinators must be 18 years or older at the time of registration. The Team Coordinator serves as the point of contact and is responsible for: 

    • Providing school demographics upon registration
    • Creating student teams
    • Receiving information from CEF
    • Communicating with the Challenge Organizer and parents
    • Helping students prepare

Team Coordinators can guide students during the Video process, however students are to create, produce and submit their videos on their own. 

Do students need a teacher to help them participate? 

Students do not need a teacher to participate. The Team Coordinator may be a parent, teacher, tutor, mentor, etc. 

How do I form a team? 

We encourage students to form their own teams! This could include: 

    • Friends/peers
    • Classmates
    • Students from other grades (5th-8th grade)

Remember the The Challenge requires many different skill sets, so it is encouraged that teams are composed of a variety of individuals. If you need help grouping students into teams of 3-4, you can use an online random team generator such as this one. 

What happens if a team member drops out of the Challenge? 

If a member of a team is no longer able to participate, there are two options depending on when this occurs.

Before a Regional Challenge or Video Submission

    • Teams may update/change their roster before participating in a Regional Challenge and/or creating their video. This does not count as a substitution, it’s just an update.

Before the National Challenge

    • If changes in a team’s composition occurs after a Regional Challenge and after creating the video, the following team substitution rules apply:
      1. The new team member must adhere to the participation requirements.
      2. The new team member must have participated in the Regional Challenge or the video component.

Please note, substitutes may not participate if they do not meet the above requirements. Substitutes cannot attend the National Challenge if they did not participate in a Regional Challenge or the video component. Any changes to a team after the Team Composition form is submitted, must be communicated to Challenge@CEFinSTEM.org.

If a team does not place at a Regional Challenge, are they not eligible to advance?

No. State winners are selected based on the combined Regional Challenge score and Video score. In fact, we’ve seen instances where teams that did not place at Regionals went on to become State winners due to the strength of their Video submission.

How much time will teams have to create videos? 

The video prompt and rubric will be released on October 1st. Video submissions are due in March. Teams can begin immediately working on their videos upon access to this year’s resources.

Does the Team Coordinator have to submit the Team’s video? 

No, one video submission per team can be completed by either the Team Coordinator or one of the team members. Videos should be saved in .mp4 – a universal video format that is viewable on all platforms. Resolution should be at least 640 x 480 pixels (HD is 1920 x 1080).

Are team scores shared or reported anywhere? 

CEF does not publicly share or compare individual team scores.

At Regional Challenges, 1st–3rd place teams will be announced. Teams competing in person also receive immediate feedback during the live event. To maintain the integrity of the program, this same support is not available for Virtual Challenges.

In May, Team Coordinators will receive their teams’ national percentile rankings for the Regional Challenge, Video Submission, and Overall Score, along with any feedback provided by the Video Evaluators.

How are State Winners and National Finalist selected?

The Challenge follows a leveled competition format, similar to Science Olympiad, the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and MATHCOUNTS. This structure ensures equitable representation across regions and gives students from all backgrounds a fair opportunity to advance.

State winners are determined by the highest overall score, which combines results from both the Regional Challenge and the Video Submission.

National Finalists are selected from among the top five State or Province winners.