According to a survey conducted by the Rand Corporation, most kids would rather take out the garbage than engage in science activities. There’s a shortage of qualified candidates for engineering schools, and the US ranks low in science test scores for elementary and middle school students. How to reach kids with a message that science and engineering are important, compelling and even fun? To address this need, JMP created the Kids’ Science Challenge, a free nationwide competition for 3rd to 6th graders, funded by the National Science Foundation.

Currently in its fourth season, KSC resources have been used by thousands of kids, parents and educators. Kidsciencechallenge.com presents three new science topics each year. Kids send in their ideas relating to these topics, and if their idea is selected, they get to visit and collaborate with a scientist to see the idea come alive. The first thousand entries receive free hands-on activity kits. The website features videos, games, activities and ways that kids can interact directly with scientists. KSC winners have been featured on NBC’s The Today Show, NPR’s Science Friday and Morning Edition, in Time Magazine for Kids, Earth Magazine, the Weekly Reader, the Washington Post, Scholastic Magazine and hundreds of local TV broadcasts, newspaper articles and online zines and blogs. The KSC received a Parent’s Choice Award in 2009. With support from a grant from the Honda Foundation, we’ve conducted KSC science workshops for hundreds of underserved students in the Los Angeles area.