Women have not always been recognized for their contributions in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The McLean Area Branch is sponsoring its eighth annual STEM Essay Contest in 2026 to challenge 7th and 8th grade students, girls and boys, in Fairfax County VA to discover and publicize women who made a difference in STEM fields, but who did not receive recognition for their contributions while alive. Strong preference is given to essays about women who are not well known even today.
Essay Guidelines:
-Essays must be no more than 500 words and include a bibliography with 3-5 sources (not part of the 500 words). Students are to follow the MLA style for formatting entries in the bibliography (called “Works Cited”). The MLA guide to use is http://bit.ly/4pYdYBJ .
-Essays will be judged for effectiveness in addressing the theme (description of the contribution, its impact, and your reason for selecting the woman), writing style (including organization, clarity, accuracy, originality in style, and word choice), and mechanics (including punctuation, grammar, spelling, and style of bibliography).
-Essays must be the student’s original work. If an essay shows plagiarism or contains factual errors, it will not be eligible for an award.
-Do not include photos or graphics.
-See our “Tips” page at https://mclean-va.aauw.net/tips-for-preparing-essay-for-aauw-mclean-area-branch-stem-essay-contest/
An application form can be downloaded here:
In fillable PDF format: 2026 STEM Essay Contest Application-PDF-Fillable-FINAL or
As a Word document: 2026 STEM Essay Contest Application-Word-FINAL
The deadline for submitting applications is Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 11:00 pm ET. No late submissions will be accepted. Only one essay per student is permitted. ALL STUDENTS SHOULD EMAIL mcleanaauw at gmail.com AFTER UPLOADING AN APPLICATION IN ORDER TO GET A RETURN EMAIL VERIFYING THAT A COMPLETE APPLICATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
NOTE: All students should check that they have submitted a file that is filled in (NOT BLANK) and is in either a
readable PDF or Word format.
Essay Prizes
-First Place $100, Honorable Mention (4 Prizes) $25
-Winners will be notified by email.
-The student awarded First Place must be able to attend the AAUW McLean Area Branch Event on the evening of Tuesday, March 24, 2026, to receive the award and will be invited to read his or her essay at the dinner. All winners will be invited to the dinner.
Any questions about the STEM Essay Contest may be sent to Judy Page, STEM Chair, at mcleanaauw at gmail.com.