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Real-world problems need young people with big ideas.
You Be the Solution challenges students to investigate a real-world issue and develop a meaningful solution. Students use science (Mainly MIDDLE SCHOOL CHEMISTRY_COMMON CORE STANDARDS) and engineering thinking to understand a problem, research its causes and effects, develop possible solutions, and communicate their ideas.
The program encourages students to see themselves not simply as students learning about problems, but as problem-solvers capable of contributing to their communities and the world.
What students gain: Scientific investigation, research, problem-solving, engineering design, communication, collaboration, and real-world STEM application.
Great for students who: Want to make a difference, care about community and environmental issues, or want to use STEM to address real-world challenges.
OFFICIAL COST
Participation is free.
HOPKINS WORKING BUDGET • Planning estimate (not a family charge)
• $0–$250 per team for optional safe chemistry supplies, printing, video production, shirts, and local transportation
• National travel costs are considered only if the team qualifies
FUNDING PATHWAYS
Donated safe lab consumables • PFA/PTA • local chemistry and biotechnology sponsors • employer matching • free school video and editing tools
SMART SPENDING RULES
Do not purchase chemicals without coordinator approval. Follow school safety procedures, use approved materials, protect student privacy in videos, and record all optional expenses and receipts.
The Hopkins Financial Officer is Mrs. Deepika Srinivas, PFA Member.
STEAM Donations
STEAM Donations
To support the STEAM program, you may donate by scanning the QR code provided or by submitting a check payable to Hopkins_PFA (STEAM) to the Hopkins Middle School office.
For all donations, please clearly indicate the STEAM program, science competition, or challenge your contribution is intended to support.
For checks: Please write the name of your student’s STEAM program, competition, or challenge in the memo line.
Explore chemistry concepts, laboratory thinking, and real-world applications through collaborative challenges. Study materials, team information, practice dates, and meeting links will be posted here. (Under Construction )
2026–2027 SEASON • GRADES 6–8
Information checked August 17, 2026
CURRENT PROGRAM NAME
The national organizer now calls this program the CEF You Be The Solution Challenge, formerly the You Be The Chemist Challenge. It is a free, team-based STEM competition for students in grades 5–8.
TEAM AND COMPETITION FORMAT
Teams contain 3–4 students and have an adult Team Coordinator. Teams complete two scored components:
• A Regional Challenge with timed science-based questions.
• A team-created video that launches a start-up company proposing an innovative sustainability or community-based solution.
The Regional Challenge score and Video Submission score are combined to determine State Winners. The top five state-winning teams may advance to the National Challenge and present to an expert panel for scholarships.
CURRENT DATES
CEF states that registration normally opens in October and runs through December, with Regional Challenge events from January through March. The 2026–2027 exact registration, regional, video, and national dates have not yet been published on the official timeline. The official site still displays the closed 2025–2026 cycle; those old dates must not be used for this season. Hopkins will post confirmed dates when CEF releases them.
WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD STUDY
• Measurement, units, significant figures, laboratory safety, and scientific reasoning.
• Matter, atoms, elements, compounds, mixtures, periodic-table organization, and chemical properties.
• Physical and chemical changes, reactions, conservation, energy, solutions, acids and bases.
• Earth, environmental, biological, and applied-science connections included in the current study guide.
• Fast, accurate collaborative problem solving under timed conditions.
Students must use the current official study guide, rules, periodic table, and interactive resources once released to the Team Coordinator.
VIDEO PROJECT EXPECTATIONS
Teams should define a specific community sustainability problem, identify the affected stakeholders, research existing approaches, propose a feasible science-based solution, test or model the idea where possible, and explain the start-up’s value clearly. Students create, produce, and submit the video themselves. The official FAQ states that a Team Coordinator may guide the process, but students must make the video.
PARENT AND TEAM COORDINATOR GUIDELINES
The Team Coordinator must be at least 18 and handles registration, rosters, official communication, preparation, and parent communication. Parents may support scheduling, transportation, safe materials, and rehearsal. One video is submitted per team in MP4 format; current technical and rubric requirements must be verified when the 2026–2027 materials are released.
WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL TEAM
Successful teams combine strong science knowledge with diverse skills: rapid reasoning, careful reading, video planning, research, data analysis, entrepreneurship, speaking, and editing. Practice as a team, explain answers aloud, analyze mistakes, and give every member a meaningful role.
OFFICIAL RESOURCES
Challenge overview: https://www.cefinstem.org/programs/challenge/
Official timeline: https://www.cefinstem.org/programs/challenge/timeline/
Student resources: https://www.cefinstem.org/programs/challenge/challenge-participants/
Frequently asked questions: https://www.cefinstem.org/programs/challenge/you-be-the-chemist-challenge-faqs/
HOPKINS INFORMATION
Questions: Under Construction
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