Science Fair History

The background of Science Fair history really began when E.W. Scripps created Science Services as a nonprofit organization in 1921. The purpose was to bridge the gap between scientific achievement and the public’s knowledge of such achievement. The background of Science Fair history really began when E.W. Scripps created Science Services as a nonprofit organization in 1921. The purpose was to bridge the gap between scientific achievement and the public’s knowledge of such achievement. The background of Science Fair history really began when E.W. Scripps created Science Services as a nonprofit organization in 1921. The purpose was to bridge the gap between scientific achievement and the public’s knowledge of such achievement.

Scripps was interested in journalism and founder of the United Press, Scripps-Howard Newspaper Alliance, and the Institute of Biological Research at La Jolla. So, it made sense for Science Service to disseminate science news. But first he had to convince the scientific community that a news syndication service could successfully popularize science by presenting unsensationalized, accurate and fascinating scientific news to the American public.

At the time accurate articles were being published in scientific journals and could not be understood by the lay public. Scripps goal was to have Science Service explain scientific ideas, in clear terms, and to circulate them among the public. The mission of Science Service would be to convince newspaper publishers that they could profit from such a service and to convince editors that science was newsworthy.

Soon after its beginning, Science Service sent representative to a meeting of the American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Toronto. The representatives asked scientist on the program to send in their AAAS papers for press. This was a first.

Amongst those representatives was a young man named Watson Davis. Under his leadership, Science News Bulletin now called Science News-Letter, a weekly publication, was born and in 1926 Radio News of the Week was aired.

As editor of Science News, and later as director of Science Service, Watson wanted to reach a wider audience in order to develop interest in science education as well as science competitions for students.

Science Fair history has its roots in Science Clubs. In 1941 Science Service, together with the American Institute of the city of New York, developed Science Clubs of America. 800 Clubs were established throughout the 48 states besides Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the Philippines, the British West Indies, Alaska, Canada, and Portugal.

Through Science Service’s efforts junior academies of science, museums and local science clubs throughout the United States were enrolled. As a result over 600,000 young scientists were organized into 25,000 science clubs.

In 1942 The Science Talent Search (STS) was born. STS is the oldest and most highly regarded science contest for high school seniors. Established by Science Service and Westinghouse, its purpose was to encourage talented students to pursue a career in science or engineering. This first science competition for scholarships established a marker in science fair history.

Since 1942 almost 3000 finalists have received $4 million in scholarships. These finalists have gone on to hold more than 100 of the world’s most coveted science and math honors including three National medal of Science winners, nine MacArthur Foundation Fellows, two Fields Medalists and five Nobel Laureates.

Each year 40 finalists are chosen to attend the Science Talent Institute in Washington, D.C. where students exhibit their research at the National Academy of Sciences and compete for the top prize of a $100,000 scholarship.

Science Fair history was being made. In the meantime, local and regional competitions arose among club members. Nurtured by Science Service, in 1950, high school finalist from these competitions met in Philadelphia and became the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). It is the world’s largest pre-college celebration of science and the world’s only international science competition for students in grades 9 through 12.

In 1999 Science Service partnered with Discovery Communications, Inc and launched the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC), a program that celebrates the abilities of 5th - 8th grade science fair winners. Another marker in Science Fair history

Science Service has contributed to the recruitment of new generations of mathematicians, scientists and engineers into universities and industry through science competitions. This has strengthened U.S. research and technology at all levels.

A branch of Science News, Science News for Kids, can be read online, free of charge. Science News for Kids is made possible by grants from The American Honda Foundation
and E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.

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