
JANUARY 30, 2025 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC, Director of Public Relations
352.671.7734 w ◊ 352.840.3265 c
[email protected]
BIG SPRINGS STEM FAIR SHOWCASES STUDENT
INNOVATORS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
MARION COUNTY – Marion County Public Schools presents the Big Springs STEM Fair, an annual event where the brightest student minds from Marion and Sumter Counties compete and showcase their innovative scientific research against each other.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
This competition takes place Feb. 5, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. inside the Circle Square Cultural Center at On Top of the World in Ocala.
Public viewing takes place 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and is free.
This year’s competition features 177 students in grades 6-12, representing 16 schools across the region. Students conducted independent research across 13 STEM categories including Life, Earth, and Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Robotics, and more.
More than 100 community volunteers will judge and score these projects.
The fair culminates with a prestigious awards ceremony on Friday, Feb. 7, inside the Browne Greaton-Cole Auditorium at Marion Technical Institute, 1614 E. Fort King St., in Ocala at 6:30 p.m.
Thirty-two projects will advance to the State Science and Engineering Fair in March, and eight exceptional projects move on to the International Science and Engineering Fair in May. These competitions offer students the opportunity to compete for more than $10 million in cash prizes, scholarships, and awards.
The Big Springs STEM Fair is made possible through the generous support of The Felburn Foundation, The Public Education Foundation of Marion County, The Broadcom Foundation, Marion County Public Schools, The Silver River Museum, and Sumter County Public Schools. These entities’ commitment to STEM education fosters a love for scientific exploration and innovation among young learners.
For more information about the Big Springs STEM Fair, contact Fair Director Erin Benavides at 352.236.5401 or [email protected] or visit www.marionschools.net/bigsprings.
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