Lander Students Win Divisions, Special Awards at Laramie Science Fair

Lander students traveled to Laramie in early March and returned with division wins and special awards from the 2026 Wyoming State Science Fair, held March 1-3 at the University of Wyoming. The annual competition drew competitors from 21 Wyoming communities, putting Lander's students up against a statewide field across both junior and senior divisions covering grades 6 through 12.

The Wyoming State Science Fair is the state's affiliate of the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the world's largest pre-college science competition. Students compete for more than $12,000 in awards distributed by local and national organizations, academic institutions, and professional associations. For the highest-achieving high school participant, winning at UW carries a direct path forward: the top finisher earns the right to represent Wyoming at the Regeneron ISEF in May 2026.

To reach Laramie, Lander students first had to qualify at the West Central Regional Science Fair, hosted at Central Wyoming College's Riverton campus on January 23. Only first-, second-, and third-place regional finishers are eligible to apply for the state competition, making the regional placement a prerequisite before any student boards the road east on U.S. 287 toward UW.

The fair's scope extends beyond trophies. Top middle school competitors earn nominations for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, a national competition, giving younger students a runway into collegiate and professional STEM networks well before graduation.

Lander's performance added to a pattern of Wyoming students punching well at state-level STEM showcases. The results place the city's schools among the competitive programs in a field where research quality, scientific rigor, and judge interviews all factor into final rankings.