Share YOUR next big idea! Explore local challenges & competitions below.
Looking for nationwide programs & opportunities? Check out our list here.

Congressional App Challenge
The Congressional App Challenge is a U.S. Representative-sponsored annual competition for local students to create & submit their original apps for a chance to win. Each challenge is district-specific. U.S. Representatives publicly recognize winning teams & each winning app may be put on display in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. Additional prizes may be available. The Congressional Internet Caucus initiates the annual Congressional App Challenge. The non-profit Internet Education Foundation provides the challenge with supplemental staffing & support.. Visit the Congressional App Challenge website for local information on the challenge.

Future City
In this project-based learning program, 6th-8th grades students imagine, research, design, & build cities of the future. The flexible, cross-curricular design gives students an opportunity to do the things that engineers do—identify problems; brainstorm ideas; design solutions; test, retest and build; & share results.
  • Deliverables: 1,500-word essay; scale model built from recycled materials; project plan, & Regional Competition presentation

Electric Car Challenge
Building a battery-powered car requires developing skills of math & science. In this program, middle school students build battery-powered model cars & compete in a race, design competition, & optional oral presentation competition. The primary goal is to generate enthusiasm for STEM skills at a crucial stage in the development of middle school students.
  • Schools can register up to 3 teams, with a maximum of 6 students each
  • Teams receive everything needed to power their battery model car, plus a free teacher workshop

Supercomputing Challenge
This multidisciplinary program challenges teams of students to complete science projects using high-performance supercomputers. Each team of up to five students & a sponsoring teacher defines & works on a single computational project of their choosing throughout the school year. Throughout the program, teams receive support from project advisers & the Supercomputing Challenge organizers and sponsors. Registration for the 2020-21 Challenge is open September 1st-20th.

NM Governor's STEM Challenge
This engineering design challenge invites high school students in STEM classes to exercise creativity, team work, & problem-solving by creating project models in response to an annual question. ​Schools may choose one team of up to 10 students & 2 mentor teachers to submit a proposed solution.
  • Participating teams develop a prototype & submit a project overview proposal online via the yearly Governor's STEM Challenge Canvas portal.
  • Local STEM industry employers judge models at the Statewide Showcase. Winning teams may be awarded up to $5,000 ($500/student).
Yearly information will be updated when available.

NM BEST
The NM BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology) Challenge, hosted by New Mexico State University, is an annual robotics competition. Teams of middle & high school students recieve a design kit & build remote-controlled robots to perform specific tasks. The challenge spans 6 weeks, and typically begins with a Kickoff Day. This hands-on program helps students better understand what engineers do & demystifies the profession & is an an excellent opportunity to make practical use of math concepts & applied physics. Information on the upcoming challenge will be updated when announced.

AFRL Robotics Challenge
Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL) New Mexico STEM Academy is hosting a modified Robotics Challenge Mission for 6-8th grade students, with increased emphasis on independent work. Teachers recieve training, materials, & online curriculum to explore systems engineering & computer science with students. The challenge will feature the robot mirco:Maqueen, which uses the mirco:bit mircocontroller and Python programming. AFRL developed Python tutorials to help coaches & students learn coding. Students will complete a set of online assignments to earn points & qualify for the Spring 2021 Robotics Challenge Expo.
Interested in becoming a Robotics Challenge Coach? ->Register here <-

ORISE Competitions
The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) features regularly occurring STEM Competitions for K-12 Students on topics like the scientific process, engineering design, technology, STEM + Art, STEM + Music, renewable energy, machines, 3D printing, drones, robots, & many more! ORISE performs work for the U.S. Dept. of Energy, & aims to prepare the next generation of our nation's STEM workforce,
  • Check out their page for current & upcoming competitions!
  • The Future in STEM Student Challenge is available throughout November!
​The ORISE website includes helpful details to get started & lists the cool prizes you could win!
Curious about past events? Check out the archive below.
Come back periodically and explore this website
​for new ideas and additional resources to support STEAM Learning in Northern New Mexico
Do you have other great STEAM ideas and resources to share? Let us know by sending an email to nmsteamhub@gmail.com.
The STEAM Hub of Northern New Mexico is a collective action initiative of the Northern New Mexico STEAM Coalition. This free public resource was developed with support from the LANL Foundation, the Los Alamos National Laboratory and Triad National Security, LLC, and the Community Learning Network.

We also appreciate the contributions of: New Mexico TechWorks, LANL Major Subcontractors Consortium and New Mexico Foundation, Internet Society and Internet Society Chapter of New Mexico, New Mexico Gas, NSF Smart and Connected Communities  Opportunity Santa Fe, CLN Youth Ambassadors, volunteers and interns from AmeriCorps Vista, North Central Department of Economic Development from New Mexico and regional STEAM advocates, organizations and agencies.
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