Frequently Asked Questions
Competition guidelines
May middle school/junior high school students compete?
Students must be enrolled in high school in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.
May high school students who are taking college-level courses through the Running Start program compete?
As long as the students are enrolled in high school in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12, they are eligible to compete.
May a student participate on more than one team ?
A student may participate on one team only.
Will teams undergo an elimination round prior to the competition in Pullman?
No. Everyone who enters is eligible to come to Pullman to compete.
When is the project due? Where should it be sent?
Projects are not to be delivered in advance of the competition. Teams simply bring them to Washington State University (Pullman) when they come to compete.
How will projects be viewed for judging?
Judges will visit displays and ask questions of students during designated display hours. You should have at least one student manning your project display at all times during the designated display hours. If your team has formal presentation materials (such as a film, PowerPoint presentation, etc.) you should limit the length of your presentation to five minutes.
I am currently participating in my local science fair. May I enter my science fair project in Imagine Tomorrow?
Yes, as long as the project meets the guidelines of the Imagine Tomorrow competition.
Do students have to be in Pullman to compete on all three days of the event or are they scheduled for a particular day?
At minimum, students must be present on May 22, competition day. If some of the students who worked on a project are unable attend, at least two students per team must be on site on competition day to present the project to judges. It's easier on the students to have all team members there, so they can support each other during their presentation and take short breaks as needed.
How much space is provided to display each team’s project?
Every team will have a primary display table that is three feet wide by eight feet long and a display board that is four feet high by five feet wide. A secondary exhibition area—located in a different room—offers supplemental space for models, schematics, projection screens, and other display items that will not fit onto the table or the display board. You may reserve space in the secondary exhibition area when you register and must indicate how much additional space you need. It will be up to your team to inform judges that you have additional materials in the secondary exhibition space and to encourage judges to visit this space. You must staff both the main and secondary exhibition areas with at least one team member.
Advisors
May one teacher advise more than one team from a high school?
Yes.
May a parent be a team’s adult representative instead of a teacher?
Yes, as long as the school appoints the parent (or other adult) to act in this capacity. Monetary awards earmarked for the teacher’s academic program(s) will instead be directed to the school for distribution as administrators see fit.
Will staff members who attend receive clock hours?
At this point, arrangements have not been made with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for the awarding of clock hours.
Awards
Are awards delivered as a college fund or as an actual check?
Checks will be sent to winning competitors following the competition. All participating students should bring their Social Security numbers to the competition. Winning team members must provide Social Security numbers to competition organizers in order to receive payment. If you bring your Social Security number to the competition, it will greatly speed the payment process.
If a home-school team is one of the award recipients, who receives the prize money for the teacher’s academic program?
If the home-schooled students are affiliated with a regional or local support group (not just their parents, but an organization such as a cooperative or consortium), prize money will be awarded to the group so that it may benefit multiple settings or classrooms of students. If the home-school team is not associated with such a group, then the institutional/organizational prize money will not be awarded.
If some members of a winning team are unable to attend the competition, will they still receive their share of the prize money?
Prize money will be distributed to all team members registered as project participants as of April 10, 2010. It is up to the team advisor and team members to provide information to competition organizers to facilitate payment. If such information is not provided for some students, their prize money will be forfeited—not reallocated to other team members.
How will winners of the “Advisors’ Favorite” award be selected?
Each school’s advisor will be asked to cast a vote for their “favorite” project, but may not vote for projects from their own school.
Registration
When can we register?
Registration for Imagine Tomorrow 2010 will remain open until March 1 or when 200 teams have signed up—whichever comes first.
Is there a fee to register and compete?
No, there is no entry fee.
I competed last year in Imagine Tomorrow. When I register this year, can I submit duplicate copies of last year's forms?
Participants must complete new forms each year.
How do I register multiple teams?
Each team must be registered separately, even if teams share the same advisor. To register each team, you must complete the online registration form in full.
Can a team enter its project in more than one category?
A team can enter each project in only one category.
Can a team enter two projects in two different categories?
No.
Coming to Pullman
Where will we stay?
Student team members and their advisors and chaperones will stay in Washington State University residence halls at no charge.
Are meals provided?
Yes. We will provide Friday dinner, three meals on Saturday, and Sunday breakfast—at no cost—for all participants.
Are chaperones required?
Yes. If your teams consist of both male and female students, then you must bring both male and female chaperones (who may be the team advisors) for your school.
Can WSU provide transportation to Pullman or help us with transportation costs?
Unfortunately we are unable to provide transportation or help with transportation costs. However, once students and their advisors arrive in Pullman, all food and housing costs are covered.