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Eligibility

Who Attends JSHS

Tennessee high school students (grades 9 – 12) enrolled in a public, private, or home school interested in STEM studies can participate either as an oral/poster presenter or as a student delegate observer. Students must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or U.S. territory. Up to five (5) high school students per school plus their teacher mentors are eligible for funding coverage. Family, friends, and siblings are welcome to attend the public research presentations for free, but lodging and food will not be provided to non-students and non-teachers.

Important Notice

Every student, whether a presenting or non-presenting participant, must be accompanied by a teacher who has been approved by the school principal. If a student’s teacher mentor cannot attend the TJSHS, another teacher from the student’s school who is approved by the student’s school principal may accompany the student.

Selection Criteria for the Tennessee Regional JSHS

In selecting participants, preference will be given to students submitting research papers for presentation and students submitting research poster presentations.

  • The primary criteria for selecting participants to submit research papers and posters are academic merit and the quality of the student’s research. In the context of this primary criterion, consideration will also be given to our goals of achieving statewide representation and diversity, including candidates from both rural and urban schools and underrepresented groups.
  • Any remaining spaces will be filled by non-presenting and non-poster student nominees who are not submitting research papers but are academically focused, serious-minded students with a keen interest in a career in science who still need to perform independent research (and their teacher mentors).