Welcome to Upper Miami Valley STEM Education
Upper Miami Valley STEM Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer-run organization founded in 2014 to provide infrastructure and support for Upper Miami Valley Science Days (UMVSD) presentations and competitions in Champaign, Darke, Miami, and Shelby Counties in west-central Ohio.
Mission of Upper Miami Valley STEM Education
Through four County Science Days and one Regional Science Day each year, we promote participation of students in grades 5-12 in hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) projects to acquire skills in STEM research, technical writing, and oral and visual project presentation and to foster interest in future STEM education and careers.
Impacts of Upper Miami Valley STEM Education
In 2014, only 1 of 29 public school districts across our four-county Upper Miami Valley (UMV) region held science fairs. UMVSD's four annual County Science Days have drastically increased participation: For example, in 2025, County Science Days will comprise 370 students across fifteen public school districts in the UMV Region, who will present 230 projects (projects are performed individually or in small teams of 2 - 3 students).
Across the four County Science Days and the Regional Science Day held at Edison State Community College, participating public, private, and home school students compete for $16,000 in awards generously provided each year by UMVSD sponsors. Projects receiving the highest rating at Regional Science Day are eligible to present at the Ohio Academy of Science's State Science Day.
