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Contests
Be sure to check eligibility and rules for homeschool participation in each contest.
Maryland Contests
- High School Programming
University of Maryland, College Park sponsors this contest where contestants participate in a three hour competition which will test their programming skills and problem solving abilities. Each high school is allowed to send one team of four contestants; contestants must be students currently attending that high school. Contests are generally held the second Saturday every March.
Learn how to program with
Sams Teach Yourself Beginning Programming in 24 Hours
- Maryland Colonial Society Essay Contest
Sponsored by the Maryland Archives, high school students research a write an essay on a yearly theme. Entries due in March.
- Engineering Challenge
Sponsored by the Baltimore Museum of Industry, the Engineering Society of Baltimore, the Technology Education Association of Maryland and the TIME Center at the Community College of Baltimore County, students from 1st - 12th grade can compete in a variety of long term engineering problem solving contests such as building a maglev train.
- Maryland History Day
Long term research projects due in April.
Nationwide Contests
- Student Desktop Publishing Contests
A list of contests open to students using educational technology. Various deadlines.
- ThinkQuest Web Design Contest
Homeschoolers may participate but the coach must be employed by an accredited school.
Learn how to design web pages using HTML. Start out at HTML Goodies. If you like Joe Burn's tongue in cheek style packed with loads of scripted examples then you might
like his books:
HTML Goodies ,
Beyond HTML Goodies,
and
Javascript Goodies
- First Freedom Essay Contest
Essays due by December.
- National Peace Essay Contest
Essays due by February.
- Destination Imagination
Local competitions held in March.
- Knowledge Master Open Academic Hallmarks
- Duct Tape Formalwear for Scholarship
- Doors to Diplomacy
Challenge begins in October
- Heroines in History Essay Contest
Submissions due in March.
- National Geography Bee
School level Bee must be completed in early January in order to qualify for the State level.
Prepare for the National Geographic Bee with the
National Geographic Bee Official Study Guide, 
<
The Geography Bee Complete Preparation Handbook: 1,001 Questions & Answers to Help You Win Again and Again!, or 
Afghanistan to Zimbabwe : Country Facts That Helped Me Win the Nationa Geographic Bee
- Team America Rocketry Contest
Final fly off competition in May.
- TOYChallenge
At least half the team must be girls. Register by February.
- National Mythology Exam
Test give in late February
- Medusa Exam
High school level mythology exam given in April.
The National Mythology Exam is based upon the
D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths,
American Indian Myths and Legends,
Voices of the Winds: Native American Legends,
and
Tales From Africa.
For older kids taking the Medusa Exam, you'll need
Bullfinch's Mythology.
- Exploratory Latin Exam
Exam must be given by April 1.
- Scripps Howard Spelling Bee
National competition held in late Spring. Local competition must be sponsored by a local newspaper.
- Math Olympiads
Monthly, school based contests held November - March. Open to homeschoolers.
- MathCounts
Local competitions held in February.
- Stock Market Game
Create a whole unit study on economics and the stock market with
Wow The Dow! : The Complete Guide To Teaching Your Kids How To Invest In The Stock Market,
The Young Investor: Projects and Activities for Making Your Money Grow,
and
Growing Money : A Complete Investing Guide for Kids
- Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards
Entries must be received by March.
- Davidson Fellows
A prodigious work in the areas of music, philosophy, math and/or science may be entered. Entries due in February.
- Exploravision
Designing future inventions.
- National Arbor Day Poster Contest
- US Computing Olympiad
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