Young Aerospace Visionaries Contest

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The Young Aerospace Visionaries Contest (YAVC) invites students to imagine the future of aviation and space exploration. Participants develop an original aerospace concept, create a visual representation of their idea, and explain how it works—mirroring the early stages of real aerospace design. 

Hosted by the AIAA Northern Ohio Section, this annual contest is open to individual students throughout the region and is designed to be accessible, creative, and scalable. 

 The contest is open to students across Northern Ohio, including:

• Students in grades K–8
• Public and private school students
• Homeschool students
• Scouts, clubs, and other youth organizations
   

All entries are submitted individually.
Students do not need to coordinate with a school, teacher, or organization in order to participate.

No prior aerospace experience is required.

1. Students imagine a future-focused aerospace idea based on the annual theme
2. They create a visual representation of their concept (drawing or original digital artwork)
3. They write a short explanation describing how their idea works and why it matters
4. Entries are submitted through an online form
5. Submissions are reviewed by aerospace professionals from Northern Ohio
    

Creativity, originality, and clarity of thinking are emphasized, with age-appropriate expectations for each category.

• Grades K–4
• Grades 5–8
  

Submissions are evaluated within each age group.

Outstanding submissions are recognized by the AIAA Northern Ohio Section with experiences designed to encourage continued interest in aerospace.

First Place (each age category)

• Family admission to the Great Lakes Science Center 
• Official Young Aerospace Visionaries Contest T-shirt
• Invitation to the AIAA Northern Ohio annual picnic hosted at NASA Glenn Research Center
  

Top Three Submissions (each age category)

• Official Young Aerospace Visionaries Contest T-shirt
• Invitation to the AIAA Northern Ohio annual picnic hosted at NASA Glenn Research Center
   

All winners are recognized by the section and celebrated as young aerospace visionaries.

 The materials below contain the specific theme, requirements, and deadlines for the current year’s contest.

• 📄 Contest Overview & Rules (PDF)
   
• 📄 Submission Instructions (PDF)
   
• 📄 Judging Criteria (PDF)
   
• 🔗 Submit Your Entry
   
• 📅 Submission Deadline: June 7, 2026 @ 3:00PM
   

For questions, please contact:
aiaanos.stem@gmail.com