2024 Kansas State Fair Engineering Technology (ET) Judges Training

Have you ever wanted to be immersed in how the Engineering Technology (ET) projects (Ag Mechanics, Astronomy, Building Block Engineering, Astronomy, Computers, Robotics, Rocketry, and UAS) are judged at the Kansas State Fair? Maybe you want to see if you have what it takes to be an ET judge.

This year we have openings for those interested in learning about how ET projects are judged at the Kansas State Fair. Those selected will get to shadow judges in each of the ET areas to understand how each area is judged and the nuances of judging at the State Fair. Those who complete the rotations will be added to the list of potential ET judges for future fairs.

Judging Starts around 9 AM on Thursday September, 5th. We ask those participating in this ET judges training event arrive and check in by 10:00 AM. Judging of exhibits typically concludes around 5PM (you aren’t required to stay until the end).

All participants in the ET judges training need to be adult volunteers (18+ and no longer enrolled in 4-H) or extension staff. Prior experience judging at the county fairs is encouraged but not required. Youth who wish to participate in the preparation and placement of ET exhibits can sign up as a volunteer for the Kansas State Fair through their county extension office.

Lunch will be provided for judges, volunteers, and judge training program participants.

You may complete the registration form for the judges training online HERE. Those selected will be notified by Friday, August 23rd (late applications are accepted).

For question about the judges training program use the contact page.

2024 Engineering Technology Packet Forms Posted

Hi Everyone,

The 2024 Engineering Technology packet forms have been posted on this site. They have not made it on the State 4-H website yet. We also haven’t got the judging sheets finished yet. They are close to done, once they have full approval from the state office we’ll get them posted.

Update 7-1-24: The score sheets have been posted a little over a week ago. They appear below the packet covers

This year we had a name change to more closely focus in on our core area of content which is engineering technology instead of the whole of Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM). Long story, but what you need to know is that’s the big change this year, it might look like tons of stuff changed but not much did change other than the name and some of the project names the most obvious one is ABC to BBE.

That said here are the 2024 packet covers for each of the areas:

Again once the score sheets for these areas are approved we will get them posted here as well.

You may have also noticed that Woodworking, Small Engines, Electrical, and Alternative Energy are also under ET. We have not made significant changes to these project areas for the current year.

2023 Kansas State Fair STEM Judges Training

Have you ever wanted to be immersed in how the STEM projects (Ag Mechanics, Architecture Block Creations, Astronomy, Computers Robotics, Rocketry, and UAS) are judged at the Kansas State Fair? Maybe you want to see if you have what it takes to be a STEM judge.

This year we have 10 openings for those interested in learning about how STEM projects are judged at the Kansas State Fair. Those selected will get to shadow judges in each of the STEM areas to understand how the each area is judged and the nuances of judging at the State Fair. Those who complete the rotations will be added to the list of potential STEM judges for future fairs. 

Judging Starts around 9 AM on Thursday September, 7th. We ask those participating in this STEM judges training event arrive and check in by 10:00 AM. Judging of exhibits typically concludes around 5PM (you aren’t required to stay until the end).

All participants in the STEM judges training need to be adult volunteers (19+ and no longer enrolled in 4-H) or extension agents. Prior experience judging at the county fairs is encouraged but not required. Youth who wish to participate in the preparation and placement of STEM exhibits can sign up as a volunteer for the Kansas State Fair through their county extension office.

Lunch will be provided for judges, volunteers, and judge training program participants.

You may complete the registration form for the judges training online HERE. Those selected will be notified before Friday, August 26th.

For question about the judges training program use the contact page.

2023 STEM forms have been posted

The 2023 STEM forms have been posted to the site. You can find them under each of the different STEM sections at the top of the site. They should all be updated and say 2023 at the top. If you find a link that does not work or something that doesn’t seem correct please use the contact page and let me know about it.

It’s worth noting that there were not a lot of rule changes for 2023 with the exception of ABC. That got reworked and has hopefully simplified the project and made it more fun. The direction on the project has shifted to being able to tell a story and create that story in a physical space using interlocking bricks. This should be reflected in the rules, score sheet, and cover form.

Additionally, for Ag Mechanics exhibits that are larger than 5 feet which are eligible to be exhibited at the State Fair, they will need to contact the State 4-H office by August 24th. This is so we can ensure there is space for the exhibit outside of Centennial Hall.

If you have questions please let us know.

All the best,

Tony

Important Correction to 2023 ABC State Fair Rules

It has come to our attention that that the class descriptions for Architectural Block Construction (ABC) published in the Kansas State Fair book did not align with the rule set for this year. As such we are making an important correction to the 2023 ABC State Fair Rules to correct the difference between the rule set and the class descriptions.

You can see the state fair book here: https://www.kansas4-h.org/events-activities/fairs/kansas-state-fair/index.html


The current 2023 ABC class description reads as follows:

Classes
Introductory – Level 1 (about 1 – 3 years of experience)
5710 Level 1 Diorama. A diorama illustrating at least 2 architectural features beyond floors, ceilings, and walls.
Experienced – Level 2 (about 4 – 6 years of experience)
5711 Level 2 Diorama. A diorama illustrating at least 4 architectural features beyond floors, ceilings, and walls, and includes 1 or more motion elements.
Advanced – Level 3 (about 7 – 9 years of experience)
5712 Level 3 Diorama. A diorama illustrating at least 6 architectural features beyond floors, ceilings, and walls, and includes 2 or more motion elements.
Master – Level 4 (10 or more years experience)
5713 Level 4 Diorama. A diorama illustrating at least 8 architectural features beyond floors, ceilings, and walls, and includes 3 or more motion elements.


These descriptions do not fit with the wording and intent of the ABC rules for 2023. We are working with the State 4-H office to put out an advisory notice and correction to the class numbers for the Kansas State Fair. However it is possible some counties may have already included the incorrect class numbers in their county fair books.

For county/district 4-H Staff we recommend reviewing your county fair book to insure you are using the class descriptions below. If your county fair book has already been published and uses a copy of the State Fair rules for ABC you can notify youth and parents of this correction or leave the class descriptions as is. We strongly recommend working with your ABC judge to clarify the judging standards that will be used, and encourage you to follow the published 2023 ABC rule set and not the 2023 class descriptions. If your county fair book has not been published, we strongly encourage you to update the class descriptions for ABC.

For parents or youth in a county using the incorrect ABC class descriptions, we recommend contacting your county/district extension office to clarify expectations. If your county has not published their fair book yet please work with them to update the ABC class descriptions to reflect the corrections below.

Registering ABC exhibits for the Kansas State Fair. For exhibits that meet the 2023 State Fair criteria for ABC, the class descriptions will be updated to those below in the registration system. This means that when registering exhibits for the 2023 Kansas State Fair that you will need to insure the correct class number is used as the classes change from experience based to age based classes. Thus the class number may change for youth in counties that are not using the corrected class descriptions.

ABC Judging at the Kansas State Fair. The 2023 State fair judges will be informed to judge according to the published rules and corrected class descriptions.


The corrected 2023 ABC class descriptions are as follows:

Classes
Intermediate (ages 9-13)
5710 Interlocking brick diorama built from scratch.
Senior (ages 14 and up)
5711 Advanced Interlocking brick diorama built from scratch.


The 2023 classes are broken up by age to make it easier for parents, youth, and judges to determine the appropriate class to exhibit in. While not optimal, this should alleviate confusion.

Counties are also encouraged to create a county only class, for example 5713 or adding the letter ‘a’ to the end of 5710, for youth ages 7 and 8, who are ineligible for the 2023 Kansas State Fair to display in at their county fairs.

An advisor notice to this change will be posted on the State Fair rules page and counties/districts will be notified as well.

We are very sorry about the confusion this has caused. Should you have questions or need additional clarification you can use the contact page or reach out to the State 4-H office.

Thank your for your understanding,
Tony

2022 Kansas State Fair STEM Judges Training

Have you ever wanted to be immersed in how the STEM projects (Ag Mechanics, Architecture Block Creations, Astronomy, Computers Robotics, Rocketry, and UAS) are judged at the Kansas State Fair? Maybe you want to see if you have what it takes to be a STEM judge.

This year we have 10 openings for those interested in learning about how STEM projects are judged at the Kansas State Fair. Those selected will get to shadow judges in each of the STEM areas to understand how the each area is judged and the nuances of judging at the State Fair. Those who complete the rotations will be added to the list of potential STEM judges for future fairs. 

Judging Starts at Noon on Wednesday September, 7th. We ask those participating in this STEM judges training event arrive and check in by 11:30 AM. Judging of exhibits typically concludes around 5PM.

All participants in the STEM judges training need to be adult volunteers (19+ and no longer enrolled in 4-H) or extension agents. Prior experience judging at the county fairs is encouraged but not required. Youth who wish to participate in the preparation and placement of STEM exhibits can sign up as a volunteer for the Kansas State Fair through their county extension office.

Lunch will be provided for judges, volunteers, and judge training program participants.

You may complete the registration form for the judges training online HERE. Those selected will be notified before Friday, August 26th.

For question about the judges training program use the contact page on the Kansas STEM site.

2021 State Fair Forms Available

The 2021 State Fair forms are available and have been published in their respective areas on the website. You can use the navigation menu across the top to find the area you are looking for. If you have questions about the forms or any other STEM content please use the Contact us page and let us know.

I do apologize that this took longer than normal to publish. Even though the updates look simple, to do all of the processing on the forms requires that I find a large block of uninterrupted time to process and adjust elements.

Additionally this year we have added two new areas to the STEM Program, Ag Mechanics and Architectural Block Construction (ABC).

Ag Mechanics covers welding, brazing, and smithing. We know this year is a fairly limited size for the exhibits, this is because we don’t have all the accommodations worked out yet to support large exhibits. As those details are worked out look for expanded sizes in the years to come.

ABC isn’t called “Lego’s” because there are many types of interlocking blocks on the market and youth can use whatever block type they have available. We are also focusing on how this relates to architecture, the blocks are a medium for creating that architecture.

At the Kansas State Fair, the use of kits in ABC is prohibited. This is so youth are judged on their abilities to create from scratch, a block environment, instead of following someone else’s instructions. Which could potentially turn this division into a money competition in my personal opinion. (Have you looked at the price of sets? If someone can afford a really complex set that puts others at a disadvantage before the judging has even started. Without sets in the mix there is a more level playing field. )

We are looking forward to an exciting year!

Cheers,

Tony

2020 KSF – Best In Show

For the last 20 or so years the STEM division (Astronomy, Computer Systems, Robotics, Rocketry, and UAS) judges have had a tradition where while they judge they look for entries that are considered “Best In Show.” There are no defined rules that distinguish a rocket as “best in show,” it is entirely at the discretion of the judges. These best in show exhibits are not just purple award winning entries, but entries that exemplify the 4-H motto, “to make the best better.”

Normally these exhibits are placed in special case(s) at the Kansas State Fair (KSF) in Hutchinson. With the pandemic this year, that obviously didn’t happen. However exhibits were judged remotely and there were several that caught the judge’s eyes.

Since we are unable to put them special case we want to post them here so they get the recognition they have earned by being best in show at the Kansas State Fair this year. Additionally if you would like to see all of the Kansas State Fair results please visit the State Fair results page.

In no particular order the following are the 2020 Kansas State Fair STEM divisions best in show.

Daniel Rausch
Exhibitor: 337 Exhibit: 2285 Division: Rocketry


Adam Snowball
Exhibitor: 676 Exhibit: 1321 Division: Rocketry


Anthony Jelinek
Exhibitor: 1168 Exhibit: 2809 Division: Rocketry


Alex Whipple
Exhibitor: 1213 Exhibit: 2253 Division: Rocketry


Grace Bravi
Exhibitor: 1249 Exhibit: 2236 Division: Robotics


Clark Burgert
Exhibitor: 1452 Exhibit: 2634 Division: Robotics

Congratulations to all of the 2020 Kansas State Fair Exhibitors on your accomplishments. We hope you will all join us again for the 2021 Kansas State Fair.

2020 Kansas State Fair Virtual Exhibit Packets

The 2020 Kansas State Fair 4-H SpaceTech exhibits are going virtual. Below you will find the forms for each of the SpaceTech exhibit classes. These are designed to provide a consistent experience for both youth and judges.

You can see an example of the rocketry exhibit form completed to give you and idea what a submission would look like.

Rocketry, Robotics, and computer Systems classes require a video. Rocketry will accept optional videos but they are not required.

Exhibit Packets:

Below are the items required for each division and class. Note that items in column 1, 2, 3, & 4 are required to be included with your virtual exhibit. Following the table are some additional details.

DivisionClass#Class DescriptionItem 1 (required)Item 2 (required)Item 3 (required)Item 4 (required)Item 5 (optional)
Computer5590Computer program, application, app, script, or coded systemDisplay pictureComputer Systems Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationEngineers Journal (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)Source Code (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Computer5591Computer presentationDisplay pictureComputer Systems Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationEngineers Journal (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)Source Code (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Computer5592Single computer systemDisplay pictureComputer Systems Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationEngineers Journal (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)Source Code (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Computer5593Networked SystemDisplay pictureComputer Systems Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationEngineers Journal (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)Source Code (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Computer5594CHIP SystemDisplay pictureComputer Systems Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationEngineers Journal (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)Source Code (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Robotics5509 & 5513Robot made from a commercial (purchased) kit. (No Programming just assembly)Display pictureRobotics Packet (PDF)Link to video presentation
Robotics5510 & 5514Robot designed by exhibitor.Display pictureRobotics Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationSource Code (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Robotics5511 & 5515Programmable robot made from a commercial (purchased) kitDisplay pictureRobotics Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationSource Code (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Robotics5546 & 5547Robot from a commercial kit, operated by a remote controlledDisplay pictureRobotics Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationSource Code (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Robotics5544 & 5545Junk drawer robotDisplay pictureRobotics Packet (PDF)Link to video presentation
Robotics5517Team Robotics ProjectDisplay pictureRobotics Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationSource Code (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Rocketry5520 & 5525Rocket made from kitDisplay pictureRocketry Packet (PDF)Link to video presentation
Rocketry5521 & 5526Rocket designed by exhibitorDisplay pictureDbE Rocketry Packet (PDF)Rocket Construction Plans (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)Link to video presentation
Rocketry5527Rocket designed by exhibitor with alternative skinsDisplay pictureDbE Rocketry Packet (PDF)Rocket Construction Plans (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)Link to video presentation
Rocketry5530Team rocket designed by two or more peopleDisplay pictureDbE Rocketry Packet (PDF)Rocket Construction Plans (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)Link to video presentation
Rocketry5536Mid-Power RocketDisplay pictureHPR/MPR Rocketry Packet (PDF)Link to video presentation
Rocketry5535High Power RocketDisplay pictureHPR/MPR Rocketry Packet (PDF)Link to video presentation
UAS5701 & 5706UAS designed and constructed by exhibitorDisplay pictureUAS Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationConstruction Plans (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
UAS5702 & 5707UAS practical applicationDisplay pictureUAS Packet (PDF)Link to video presentationNotebook, poster, display, etc. (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx, image file)
Educational NotebooksDisplay pictureNotebook (doc, docx, pdf, ppt, pptx)
Educational Displays & PostersDisplay pictureCloseup 1 (image file)Closeup 2 (image file)Closeup 3 (image file)Closeup 4 (image file)

Display Picture – All Exhibits need a display picture, this is what will be displayed publicly for the exhibit, this is what everyone will see. Other content is for judging purposes.

Link to Video Presentation – For many of the divisions a video is required. We encourage these be uploaded to YouTube or other video sharing service and adding the video as “unlisted” and then providing the link to the video. The video can the be removed after September 9th. Rocketry exhibits do not require a video, we welcome those who wish to share a video with the judges about their rocket but it is not required.

Display Packets – These are like the exhibit packets that are constructed for STEM exhibits each year, in addition to the traditional forms we are asking that you include some extra pictures to enable judging typically top, bottom, and side views of the rockets. All of these packets can be downloaded from this page. They are PDFs that are form fillable which allows you to just click and add pictures and information. To use the forms you will need to save it to your computer and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader as most web browsers do not support forms in PDFs. Once done you can save the change made to the PDF. Realize that the PDF may become quite large and take a while to transfer. For best results we recommend cropping images to just the exhibit.

Code – Several projects require source code, some source code is picture based such as Ozobots and NXT’s others use lots of text files. The State Fair system does not support many of these file types, so what we encourage everyone to do is for pictures of code, place the pictures of the code in a PowerPoint file one after the other or a Word document. For text based content, the code should be pasted into a word document or printed out as a PDF. To print to a PDF in Windows 10, you can use the “Microsoft Print to PDF” printer under print function for your application.

Journals – For the computer systems project journals are required, these should already be typed up and will just need saved as a Word document, PDF, or PowerPoint File. To print to a PDF in Windows 10, you can use the “Microsoft Print to PDF” printer under print function for your application.

Plans – For rockets, robots, and unmanned aerial systems that are designed by the exhibitor (DbE) plans are required. These should be in a Word, PDF, or PowerPoint Document. These describe how to construct your exhibit and should be a detailed as possible. To print to a PDF in Windows 10, you can use the “Microsoft Print to PDF” printer under print function for your application.

Signatures – Some projects ask for signatures, to simplify the packets we are waiving the signature requirements.

Please Note: For rocketry, rockets DO NOT need to be launched this year, as there have been several counties that have been under a burn ban due to dry conditions. Also for rocketry, the video is optional, and it can be anything about the rocket, from youth talking about it to just a video of the rocket its self. The video just provides the judge with additional context and the ability to look at the rocket.

Please Note: (8-26-20) For robotics, the section in the exhibit packet titled “One or more photographs of the robot during construction” is meant to represent the “one to three pages of project photographs” as described in the rules. Typically project photographs happen at the beginning, middle or end of constructing a project. (Parts needed to construct, parts being assembled, and my completed robot.) Judges will be provided clarification regarding this as part of their orientation. We encourage youth to document the progress made throughout the creation of their projects, this documentation is not only beneficial for the judges, but also in the record keeping process.

If you have questions about completing the packets or any of materials and how they need to be prepared for the state fair this year please use the contact page.

Rocket launches and fire safety

Photo: noaa.gov

This is a safety reminder about Kansas 4-H rocketry rules as they relate to fire bans in Kansas. While many parts of Kansas have recently experienced strong storms, we know that weather conditions can change rapidly, often in only a few days or weeks.  The 2020 Kansas State Fair rocketry rules state “if a fire burn ban is in effect for any county in Kansas, exhibitors in any Kansas county are not required to launch their rocket(s).  All requirements for the launching of rockets for the state fair and the documenting of the launching are suspended for the duration of the ban.” We advise all counties to always be cautious and use good judgment in planning and conducting county rocket launches, and consider cancelling them if dry conditions warrant. If you have comments or questions, please use the contact us page, or reach out to your local count extension office or the State 4-H office.

If you wouldn’t light a match and throw it on the ground you shouldn’t launch a rocket.

Stay safe with your rocketry endeavors.