New Judge Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for considering becoming a YES Fair Judge.

Over the years the judges have shared with me how much they enjoy the process and to see what our “kids” are doing in Science and Engineering. Here are the typical questions of prospective judges. If you have other questions please feel free to contact me at yesfair@ssvec.com.

Q: Do I need to have a college degree to be a Judge?

A: Not always. What I look for in a judge is a desire to encourage kids and the ability to apply the judging guidelines to a project fairly. Most adults can evaluate a 5th and 6th grade level project without a college degree.

Q: How much time does it take?

A: I have seen judges take anywhere from 3-6 hours to judge their assigned projects. My minimum requirement is to have each project seen by at least 3 judges. How much time it takes depends on two factors, 1) how many volunteer judges I have in relation to the total number of entries and 2) the quality of the student’s projects (it takes more time to rank them).

Q: Do I get to choose what age level and category of projects I Judge?

A: I ask for your preferences but I have to distribute the workload based on the entries in each category. First time judges will most likely be in the lower divisions to gain experience. I do try my best to fit you into where you feel comfortable.

Q: Will I get to talk to the students?

A: Only the high school students have an interview as part of the judging process. I have considered interviews at the 7-8 level but some of the students live 70 to 100 miles away and that makes it virtually impossible for them to get to an interview session.

Q: Do you provide training for Judges?

A: YES! We have an online judge’s manual that explains the process step by step. I also have a Judges Appreciation Dinner on the Monday prior to the Judging day to review the process and answer any questions. You can also e-mail questions to the Fair Director at yesfair@ssvec.com

Q: I don’t feel I can be a Judge. Is there other ways for me to participate in the YES Fair?

A: Absolutely! I can use volunteers on set-up, judging, and public viewing days. I don’t have the ability to pay volunteers but I can provide a meal for anyone who works a four hour “shift”.

Q: What are some of the volunteer jobs?

A: I can always use people to help in registration, crowd control, clerical, etc… for the full three days of the YES Fair. See the link for the volunteer page for details.