For Judges
The 2025 West Kootenay Science & Technology Fair will be a fully in-person event. Judging will take place on Saturday, April 12 at the in-person fair, which will include science activities, public viewing of projects, and an awards celebration. The Fair will be held in Grand Forks at John A. Hutton Elementary. There will be activities on site for youth and adults to participate in. Judges in the area are invited to come to the fair on April 12 to see the projects and speak to the youth in person. Friends, family, and co-workers are also welcome!
Important Dates
March 10: Judge Registration Opens
April 4: Judge Registration Closes
April 12: In-Person Fair & Awards Ceremony
Judge Role
Step 1: Register
Registration opens March 10 and closes April 4, 2025. Registration information will include contact details and questions about experience, qualifications, preferences (age categories, topics of interest), and availability, and should take approximately 5 minutes to complete.
Step 2: Attend Judge Orientation
Before the fair day on April 12, a judge orientation session will be hosted. More information will be sent to you in advance for the day. This session will address the scoring rubric, the plan for the day, & any questions you might have about the process.
Step 3: Interview Students
Judging will take place in-person at the Fair on April 12. You will receive your individual interview time slots at the judge orientation. A judging rubric and an score sheet will also be included. The rubric will be used as your scoring tool to evaluate each project.
Step 4: Celebrate!
We will come together in-person on April 12 at John A. Hutton Elementary to announce our 2025 West Kootenay Science and Technology Fair award winners.
FAQs
How will judging take place?
Judging will be in-person. You will interview each of the students at the Fair and submit your scores and feedback through a scoring form.
Do I need to be from the West Kootenay region to judge this fair?
Not at all! However, because the fair is in Grand Forks, you may need to travel some distance to attend. If you are looking to judge an in-person fair in your area, reach out to the regional science fair close to you to see if they need help.
How will you assign projects to judges?
You will be assigned to judge student projects based on the availability, expertise and preferences you submit during your registration. Information about each of your assigned projects will be provided during judge orientation.
Do I need to be an expert to be a judge?
No! We welcome all judges and can provide instructional resources to support you. Inexperienced judges are sometimes assigned to younger grade levels and less complex projects.
What if I am not available on the day of judging?
We are sorry, but unfortunately it is a requirement. For scheduling and coordination reasons, we need our judges to be available.
Can the public ask questions?
During public viewing, guests can view the projects and ask the students questions, but there will be no scoring at that time.
Will students see my scores for their project?
No, students do not receive judge scoring. Judge scoring is used as a guide for judge discussions, to support decision-making about awards and finalists. The written feedback you provide during judging will be sent to students to help them learn and improve their projects moving forward.
I have never judged at a science fair before. Is there any information or guidance provided?
Yes! We will provide a judge orientation on the day-of the fair. We are also available to answer your questions around judging and your role at the fair. Reach out to us anytime at westkootenay@sciencefairs.ca.