Students who were nominated to Broadcom MASTERS can now register/apply on-line to have the opportunity to advance to the next phase of the competition.  Broadcom MASTERS nominees are eligible to receive $10 Walmart gift card sponsored by Elmer’s, an official Broadcom MASTERS t-shirt, and earn their teachers’ Elmer’s discounts/rebates by filing out the application.

The application can be found on the SSSP/Broadcom MASTERS – compete webpage where nominees will need to use the logon information provided to them in their nominee packets to sign in.

You may also view  NEW Broadcom MASTERS video that captures some of the excitement and importance of this Middle School Fair.

Nancy Besley

Executive Director

As the Executive Director for the Florida Foundation for Future Scientists, I cannot thank everyone enough for the wonderful  56^th State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida we had this year!  It will never, ever go off without a hitch, but thanks to everyone’s efforts our “glitches” were minimal and easily solved.  I am keeping a notebook next to me at all times and I have already filled many pages of what to do differently and/or better.

However, the one thing I would never, ever change is the outstanding people/volunteers we have working in all areas of the Fair to make it successful.  Until you have “survived” your first Fair, no one understands the amount of hours that are put in 24/7 to make everything work.

My first thanks is to our Fair Directors and their own volunteer representatives who spend countless hours preparing students to attend the State Science and Engineering Fair.  Many of our Fair Directors are classroom teachers and do science research with their own students in addition to working with the rest of the Region’s teachers and students.  The Fair directors are responsible for having their own outstanding Regional Fairs to select their state and Intel ISEF winners.  They then make final preparations to travel to these events with their students.  Most Fair directors do all of this without compensation.

As always, I received many accolades regarding your students throughout the event.  The decorum shown during our Awards Ceremony was outstanding.  I believe that every student was honored and his/her name heard thanks to having Jim Payne from WESH TV as our emcee.  We congratulate South Brevard (twice), Thomas Alva Edison, and West Panhandle for their Grand Award Winners – Ying Scholars!  Kim told me they have not had a Grand Award Winner in 15 years and Rick said it’s been 8 years for TAE!! Also, congratulations to our Junior Section Grand Award Winners – Ying Scholars from Palm Beach and Lockheed Martin Manatee.

The FFFS Board of Directors and the SSEF Committee Chairs did an outstanding job volunteering in many capacities.  Everything begins with unloading truck so thanks to Danny, Craig, Maia, Joe and Lisa and Kim.  Display and Safety/Facilty with Kim and Danny in charge went very well this year and we appreciate those of you putting in extra time to help that Committee – Craig, Tom and Barbara, Maia, Lisa, and Roberta can always be counted on.  We want to thank the additional help from Polk County and the Retired Associates of Lockheed Martin (REALM) for working Wednesday.   The SRC with Sharon, Deborah, Joe, Nancy, Rick, Richard and others pitching in where needed – has a very, very difficult job and we certainly appreciate their efforts to work extra and longer to make sure protocol is proper and consistent.  The Registration area was efficiently run by Sandy, Vie Vie, and Lori who actually asked to be present to help.  Many thanks to Judy Griffin and Jacqua Ballas for putting together our Shoptalks for teachers and parents to attend and have an opportunity to learn more about the SSEF process!

We appreciate Bill Herschleb continuing to be our Judging Chairperson with Joyce Bervaldi and Karen Malesky helping in that area.  Many thanks to our more than 225 Judges who volunteered and took time from their busy schedules to judge for a full day.

The Awards Committee with Pat Zalo, Judy Legault , and Christie Tamayo who come in and make sure that our Special Awards are judged and recorded for distribution.  (I remember all-nighters in regards to Special Awards).   A special thank you to our many donors who provided almost $20,000 in special awards and more than $700,000 worth of scholarship nominations were awarded in addition to a summer internship with NASA.

Brittany Fornof  (a former SSEF Finalist) and Jackie Williams planned an outstanding Student Mixer at the Orlando Science Center!  Many thanks to these two fine, young ladies.

A special thanks to Sue and Phil Cole (and their committee) who work tirelessly for four days and nights on site,  (not to mention the hours after the Fair) to make sure that the photography is available and our one big fundraiser is successful.

I hate mentioning names for fear of leaving someone out, many, many thanks to all who saw a need to help and just volunteered without having to be asked.

I look forward to seeing the Florida Delegation for Intel ISEF in Los Angeles during May.  Good luck to all of our Finalists!  Please plan on wearing your Intel ISEF shirts to the Opening Ceremony to show a “strong” Florida!  FFFS has provided shirts for our Florida Finalists.  Additional shirts may be purchased through www.tucknshirt.com for other members of your delegation.

2010 State Science and Engineering Fair
Photography Orders

Download FFFS Photo Order
Form and Letter

Dear State Science and Engineering Fair Supporters,

Please find below some very important information regarding the future state funding for the State Science and Engineering Fair.

We have just learned that the Senate Appropriation bill, State Science Fair has an appropriation of $43,676 (line 95).  The House Appropriation bill, State Science has an appropriation of $0!

The State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida is the LARGEST ACADEMIC EVENT to be held in the state of Florida each year.  More than 200,000 volunteer hours from all members of our science community businesses and organizations help to make this event successful for the students in Florida.

We are asking you to do two things.  Please thank your Senators for supporting this event through their appropriations and MOST IMPORTANT, please contact your representatives to ask for their support. The House Ways and Means Chair is Republican Bill Galvano and he was a 1978 Science Fair Finalist.

POWERING OUR FUTURE! -  the 54th Annual State Science and Engineering Fair (SSEF) of Florida Grand Awards Ceremony was held Friday, April 17th at the Lakeland Center. The purpose of this evening was to recognize the outstanding science research efforts and talents of the students of Florida.  More than 857 student Finalists arrived as winners from 37 Regional Science and Engineering Fairs representing the 67 counties of Florida.

Students received Category Place Awards, Opportunity/Internship Awards, Scholarship Awards (totaling $740,000), and many, many Special Awards (totaling more than $30,000) from a variety of businesses and organizations from our science community.

Two students were selected as Best-In-Fair Grand Award winners and will attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Reno, Nevada during May along with more than 120 winners from our 37 Regional Fairs.  Florida is known for winning more than 10% of the Place Awards and the most money collected from Special Awards and Scholarships each year at this international event.

Prior to the 2009 SSEF event:

• 9,500 students competed at our Regional Fairs
• 40,000 elementary students were involved in a science fair or exposition
• 15,100 high school and 58,000 middle school students did research in their schools
• 950 judges (volunteers) from the community provided support to the regional and state science fairs