About this Event
The South Carolina 4-H Engineering Challenge began in 2012 and has grown to over 400 youth competitors annually! Youth that participate in this competition report increased confidence and knowledge in science skills. The 2027 Engineering Challenge will be held at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, SC on Wednesday, February 10, 2027, from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. We have eight hands-on challenges available for youth 9-18 years old, and youth ages 5-8 are invited to participate in the Visual Arts Challenge. In addition to challenges, there will be an interactive STEAM Expo for all ages open from 10:30 AM - 3:00 PM.
Registration opens November 1 at 4 p.m. and closes when spaces are filled or on January 8, 2027, whichever comes first. Space is limited in each challenge, so register early.
2027 Challenges - 8 to choose from!
Team Challenges (2-4 youth per team,$38) include:
Bridge Building, Robotics, Rocketry, and Mystery
Individual Challenges (1 youth only, $12) include:
Coding, Agriscience , Innovation and Visual Arts
The Visual Arts challenge is open to youth ages 5-18, and all other challenges are open to youth ages 9-18. Youth do not have to be present to participate in Coding or Visual Arts. All registered participants will receive a t-shirt. Additional Visual Arts entires are $5 per entry.
Event Resources
- 2027 rules and submission guidelines can be found in the Challenge Document for each challenge found here.
- Other helpful resources can be found on the SC 4-H STEM website including the Event Overview, Event Schedule, and Large Group Registration Worksheet.
- Please review the 2027 schedule and Overview before registering to avoid signing up for overlapping events.
- We are also looking for Volunteers, STEAM Expo Exhibitors, and Sponsors!
Questions about the event? Please contact Abigail Phillips at [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
- How are age divisions determined? Age is determined as of January 1, 2027. Age division is determined by the age of the oldest member of the team. Junior aged youth may participate on a Senior team, but Senior aged youth may not participate on a Junior team.
- Can 5-8 year olds participate? Yes, 5-8 year olds are welcome to participate in the Visual Arts Challenge and the Interactive STEM Expo. The expo will include many exciting booths and hands on activities. Additionally, they are welcome to be a spectator during any other challenge activities on Feb 10. T-shirt is included with Visual Arts registration.
- Is lunch included? Lunch will not be available for purchase at the 2027 event. Lunch will be provided only to volunteers and STEAM Expo exhibitors. Participants may bring their own lunch and use the designated lunch area. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase; cash only is accepted.
- Is 4-H Membership required? No. 4-H membership is not required for participation in this event. This event does not assume custodial care of youth in attendance. Parents, guardians, teachers, or other chaperones must be present for the supervision of participants.
- Can youth participate in multiple events? Yes. Youth are encouraged to participate in multiple challenges if the timelines do not overlap. Please view the Event Overview and Event Schedule documents for a timeline in preparation to register. These documents can be found on the SC 4-H STEM website.
- Is there a limit to how many teams a group can register? There’s no limit on teams per group, but the total number of teams is capped for the event. We kindly ask groups to please form teams of three or four (if possible) rather than pairs so more youth can participate overall.
- Can I pay by check? Yes. All groups must register through this Eventbrite page. However, you may still pay by check. During registration, please note that you prefer to pay by check. Checks should written to Clemson University with 4-H Engineering Challenge in the memo line. They must be postmarked by January 15th and mailed to Clemson Extension 4-H Youth Development, 267 Lehotsky Hall, Clemson, SC 29634 in order to complete your registration and save your team's spot(s).
- Can I order additional shirts? Event shirts are included with youth participant registration, and additional shirts may be purchased in advance for 18.00 on this Eventbrite page.
- Do you have a waitlist if a challenge sells out? Yes! If a challenge is full, you can join the waitlist here.
_____________________________________
Please note that this event and its coordinators do not assume custodial care of youth in attendance. Adults (parents, guardians, volunteers, teachers, coaches, or chaperones) must be present for the supervision of youth participants.
Registration for this event grants permission to Clemson University, its employees or representatives, to take and use: photographs, video, and/or digital images for use in promotional or educational materials as follows: printed publications or materials, electronic publications or presentations, websites. All negatives, positives, prints, digital reproductions, and video shall be the property of Clemson University. No address information will be used or shared.
Civil Rights Statement
Event venue & nearby stays
South Carolina State Fair, 1200 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.