Santa Cruz County STEAM Expo

    Our vision is to celebrate opportunities in STEAM education that inspire and empower all students to be innovative, creative, and determined Makers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.  
    Our mission is to provide equitable opportunities and access to develop and share STEAM Fair projects and explore hands-on STEAM exhibitions and phenomena.

    The Santa Cruz County STEAM EXPO provides both a competitive and a noncompetitive showcase opportunity for students. The Expo is open to all K-12 students who attend school within Santa Cruz County.

    For the Competitive Investigation section, students design individual or team (max of 3 members)  projects to compete for awards, scholarships and prizes. These projects require students to explore a scientific question or an engineering problem using the science investigation practices or engineering design process – the more “typical” science fair projects. Top award winners represent Santa Cruz County at the California State Science Fair, the International Science and Engineering Fair, and the California and National Invention Conventions.

    For the Showcase section, larger student teams (more than 3 members), clubs or classes may enter to present or demonstrate their ongoing work or projects. these projects provide an opportunity for students to explore their STEAM related interests via projects that may be class wide, club or non-investigation type projects such art displays, robotics clubs, or performances.

The 2024-25 Santa Cruz County STEAM Expo will be held in-person at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds on March 8, 2025.

    Students will present projects in elementary (grades TK-3), upper elementary (grades 4-5), junior (6th-8th grade) and senior (9th-12th grade) divisions in multiple areas of study.  Fair participants are drawn from public, private, parochial and home-schools in Santa Cruz County only.

Please see the MORE INFORMATION button below for details on types of projects, categories and details to support students, teachers and parents, and more!