Frequently asked questions
Competition guidelines
• I am currently participating in my local science fair. May I enter my science fair project in Imagine Tomorrow?
Yes, as long as the project meets the guidelines of the Imagine Tomorrow competition.
• Will teams undergo an elimination round prior to the competition in Pullman?
No. Everyone who enters is eligible to come to Pullman to compete.
• When is the project due? Where should it be sent?
Projects are not to be delivered in advance of the competition. Teams simply bring them to Washington State University (Pullman) when they come to compete.
• How will projects be viewed for judging?
Judges will visit displays and ask questions of students throughout the designated display hours: from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 10. There are no set presentation times, so you should have at least one student manning your project display at all times during the designated display hours. If your team has formal presentation materials (such as a film, PowerPoint presentation, etc.) you should limit the length of your presentation to 10 minutes.
• May middle school/junior high school students compete?
Students must be enrolled in high school in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.
Awards
• Are awards delivered as a college fund or as an actual check?
Checks will be sent to winning competitors following the competition.
Coming to Pullman
• Why does the competition schedule overlap with AP test dates?
We are aware of the conflict with AP testing, but finding the “perfect” time for the competition proved impossible. In order to host competitors and advisors at the University with room and board fully provided (teams incur no cost once they reach Pullman), we needed to time the competition to take place after the end of the WSU spring semester —when residence hall space is available. In the course of our initial planning, high school personnel advised us that it was better to hold the competition earlier in May rather than later (in spite of AP testing dates) to avoid the pressures of end-of-school activities.
Although we would like teams to arrive on Friday before 6:00 p.m. in order to set up and be ready to go first thing Saturday morning, we will certainly be willing to work with teams that have conflicts—such as Friday AP testing—and schedule them for later arrival times.
• Where will we stay?
Student team members and their advisors will stay in Washington State University residence halls at no charge.
• Can WSU help us with transportation costs to Pullman?
Unfortunately we are unable to help with transportation costs. However, once students and their advisors arrive in Pullman, all food and housing costs are covered. The University will provide a Friday evening meal and accommodations, three Saturday meals and accommodations, and Sunday breakfast.
Advisors
• May one teacher advise more than one team from a high school?
Yes.
• May a parent be a team’s adult representative instead of a teacher?
Yes, as long as the school appoints the parent (or other adult) to act in this capacity. Monetary awards earmarked for the teacher’s academic program(s) will instead be directed to the school for distribution as administrators see fit.
• Will staff members who attend receive clock hours?
At this point, arrangements have not been made with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for the awarding of clock hours.
Registration
• When is registration due?
By 5:00 p.m., Monday, March 31.
• Is there a fee to register and compete?
No, there is no entry fee.
• How do I register multiple teams?
Each team must be registered separately, even if teams share the same advisor. To register each team, you must complete the online registration form in full.
• My team already registered but now wants to change categories or has discovered needs that were not originally specified. Is it possible to make changes after registration?
Yes! Simply contact Janet Herrlinger at herrlingerj@wsu.edu to request changes.
• Can a team enter its project in more than one category?
A team can only enter one project per category. If a project relates to multiple categories, we will judge it in each—but it can only receive an award in one category. If you believe your project should be considered in more than one category, please e-mail skeen@wsu.edu.
• Can a team enter two projects in two different categories?
Yes. However, a team may not enter two projects in the same category.
• Can a school pre-register without providing names of student participants?
Yes, before March 31, a school can register teams even without the names of specific students. Just indicate that student names are TBD. Keep in mind, though, that names of student participants must be provided by the March 31 registration deadline.