Understanding Student Eligibility Requirements

As a Regional STEM Fair organizer, it's essential to understand and enforce the eligibility requirements for student participants, especially as they relate to regional boundaries and CWSF selection.

Official Policy

According to YSC Policy "CWSF Eligibility - Finalist, Project, Delegate, Support Adult," section 2.2:

Students must enter their project in the RSF that includes either their home or school address. In the case that there is no RSF offered in either location, the student(s) may apply to participate in the YSC Virtual Regional Fair or the RSF closest to them; acceptance of the project shall be at the discretion of the RSF organizers.

Enforcing Regional Boundaries

Registration Verification

• During Registration: Implement a verification process that confirms either the student's home or school address falls within your regional boundaries.
• Address Verification: Consider requesting proof of address or school enrolment when registering students.

Out-of-Region Requests

If you receive a request from a student outside your region:

1. First determine if there is a regional fair available in their home/school region
2. If there is, direct them to register with their assigned regional fair
3. If there is no regional fair in their home/school region, you may consider their application at your discretion. Alternatively, students may apply to the YSC Virtual regional STEM fair. 

Important Considerations

• Fairness to Local Students: Allowing out-of-region students to compete for CWSF spots reduces opportunities for students within your region.
• Regional Representation: Each region's CWSF allocation is intended to represent that region specifically.
• Sponsor Expectations: Your sponsors support the fair with the expectation of promoting STEM in your specific community.
• Community Impact: Consider how accepting out-of-region students may impact your fair's mission to serve your local community.

Common Scenarios to Watch For

Students may attempt to register in a different region for various reasons, none of which are considered valid under YSC policy:

• Missing their own regional fair's registration deadline
• Believing selection for CWSF might be easier from your region
• Having schedule conflicts with their assigned regional fair
• Having personal connections to your region

CWSF Selection Implications

If you discover a student is from outside your region after they've been selected for CWSF:

• You should rescind the CWSF selection if their home/school region has its own regional fair
• Contact YSC immediately for guidance if this situation arises
• Be prepared to select an alternate student from your region for CWSF

Questions or Special Circumstances?

If you encounter unique situations or have questions about student eligibility, please contact Youth Science Canada at support@youthscience.ca for clarification and guidance.

Reference: This article is based on Youth Science Canada's policy "CWSF Eligibility - Finalist, Project, Delegate, Support Adult" section 2.2, available on the YSC Policy Portal.