No Cost
9-12
January 25, 2025
Merced Arts Center
March 2025 capoetryoutloud.org
Poetry Out Loud inspires high school students to discover and appreciate poetry through a combination of memorization, performance, and competition Students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and improve English fluency and comprehension
Contact: nchandler@mcoe org
Grades: Date:
Preschool-12
Entries Due: February 28, 2025
Judging: March 10-14, 2025
Awards: May 5-13, 2025
Created by local teachers, the writing festival celebrates student writing in poetry and prose. At the beginning of the school year, teachers are given a handbook that lists more than 40 different categories. Students are taught the different types of writing and encouraged to participate in the Merced County Writing Festival Awards are given to students by grade and category and a gold medal for the top two entries is awarded in each grade Each year, there are more than 3,000 entries with nearly 1,000 awards given to students. All Gold, 1st Place, 2nd Place and 3rd Place entries are displayed in May.
Scripps Regional Spelling Bee
Grades:
Date:
Location:
National:
4-8
March 15, 2025
MCOE Downtown Center
May 2025, Washington D.C.
https://spellingbee.com/
Merced County has joined the Scripps Program and now offers a path to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D C with the Merced County Scripps Regional Spelling Bee The Merced County Scripps Regional Spelling Bee allows one student per school and is an oral bee. Schools must register with Scripps and MCOE to participate.
+ Scripps Fee
Merced County STEM Fair $50/entry
Grades:
5-12
Dates:
February 27, 2025 - Competition
March 4, 2025 - Showcase and Awards
Location: State:
UC Merced/MCOE Downtown Center
April 2025 csef.usc.edu
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Fair allows students, families, and community members to participate in a variety of STEM-related activities Students in grades 5-12 may participate in the Science and Engineering Fair portion of the event The top winners in this competition (grades 6-12) qualify for the California Science and Engineering Fair. Featured speakers, informational booths and hands-on activities are available throughout the day.
Grades:
Date:
Location: Merced Symphony Association Children's Concert $5/seat
3-5 (4th recommended)
March 11 - Los Banos/March 12- Merced
Pacheco HS/Merced Theatre
The Merced Symphony Association presents an annual concert for 4th grade students where 3rd and 5th grade students may also attend This is a concert performed by musicians with a wide variety of instruments represented An interactive experience designed to introduce students to the world of music and also teach concert etiquette, history, among others, curriculum packets are distributed to participating schools in advance for lesson planning. Concerts are held in Merced and Los Banos to more than 3,000 students each year. In 2022, concerts were expanded into Dos Palos.
$50/festival
Grades:
Date:
Location:
4-8
March 31 & April 2-4, 2025
Awards: April 10, 2025
MCOE Downtown Center
The Merced County Speech Festival is for students in grades 4 through 8. The Elementary level is for students grades 4 and 5 and the Middle School level is for grades 6 through 8. The Speech Festival is part of a countywide program that starts at the school level to allow students to advance to the county level. Each school can send three students per grade to represent their site. Speeches must be the original work of the student each year and must follow from categories of Persuasive, Tall Tale, Legend, Fable or TEDStyle Talk, but can be about any topic
Merced County Speech Festival
Date:
Location:
4-12
Merced Theatre Grades:
Online Testing: April 8, 2025
Super Quiz/Awards: May 10, 2025
Academic Pentathlon is a countywide student event for grades 6 through 8. It is part of the United States Academic Pentathlon competition. All study guides and necessary materials are provided with team fees. Schools field teams of up to 12 members per grade divided into Honors, Scholastic, and Varsity divisions based on student GPA. Students compete in a series of five academic tests and demonstrations, including fine art, literature, math, science, social science, and a Super Quiz. Awards are presented to teams and individuals.
2023-24 Theme: Our Changing Climate
UC Merced Opera for Children No Cost
Grades:
Date:
Location: 2025 Title:
Preschool-3
May 20-23, 2025
UC Merced Treble Trouble
The UC Merced English and Arts Department produces an Opera annually for students in preschool through grade 3. The story set to well-known music always has a lesson intertwined in the fun. The UC provides classroom curriculum to introduce students to the world of Opera that they can tie-in to their visit.
Grades: Due : Awards:
TK 12 April 17, 2025 June 2025
The Merced County Father of the Year Essay Contest is designed to showcase the Father and Father Figures of Merced County in an essay written by their child. Students are asked to answer the prompt, "What my father or father figure means to me."
District/School Responsibilities
Event specific information is mailed to district superintendents and site principals. If your school or district decides to participate in student events, you may be asked to:
Complete Intent, Registration Forms and other required paperwork on time.
Provide payment and financial information to support the program. Provide volunteers to help with various aspects of the event. Furnish judges for the event.
Provide a liaison with an e-mail address, who will act as event point person and share all correspondence with students, families and other teachers or staff at your site/district. Share Opt-Out and Event Etiquette with your students and their parents.
Prepare students using posted guidelines and rules of event.
Student Events Etiquette
Students should have FUN when competing.
Teachers, parents, and students should demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times. Teacher may not prompt or coach students when competing virtually or in-person. Things may not always go the way you and your student/child hope or expect, but make the best of the situation. Please remember that your student/child takes behavior cues from you.
Talk to your student(s) about disappointment and set an example of how to be gracious in disappointing situations.
Judging is a subjective process and judges’ decisions are final Judges volunteer their time to make student events possible Please do not express concerns or complaints to the volunteer judges If you have a complaint, please find or email the event coordinator to express your concerns.
We are guests at our event venues. Please be courteous and respect the property of others. Do not enter or leave a room during a presentation. Virtual competitions will be participants only.
Avoid unnecessary noise during a presentation. Turn off all cell phones when in a competition room.
Ask permission of competitors before taking photos or videotaping them.
Updates
The information in this booklet was finalized October 8, 2024 Dates and/or locations are subject to change and will be posted at mcoe org/StudentEvents
Diversity and Inclusion
MCOE Events encourages the participation of all Merced County students, regardless of race, religion, physical or mental abilities, economic status, gender, sexual orientation or other identities. MCOE strives to meet the needs of all students by:
Building a broad base of participation and involvement that mirrors the diversity of our county's communities and geographies.
Hosting fair, accessible, and inclusive contests and seeking to remove barriers to participation. Celebrating and validating the cultures and experiences of our students.
Opt Out/Public Information
MCOE is proud to showcase events and students. To do this, MCOE Communications may submit press releases to local media (such as newspapers, television, and online news sites) that includes student names, work, photographs, and video/voice recordings. In addition, this information may be published or displayed on the MCOE's website(s) and various social media channels. While the intent of this practice is to be informative and celebratory, concerns may arise regarding a student's right to privacy. To opt-out of any such releases, please complete the Media Release Non-Consent Form. It is available in English or Spanish at mcoe.org/optout, or by contacting the Student Events office.
Volunteer Opportunities
MCOE Student Events require a great deal of support from administrators, educators, parents, and community members. Volunteers are crucial to the success of these events as they serve various roles, such as judges, scorers, and monitors. To donate your time or talent, visit mcoe.org/StudentEvents or send an email to sarancibia@mcoe.org.
Sponsorships and In-Kind Donations
In order to keep costs low for schools and districts, MCOE partners with many generous sponsors either through MCOE or through one of our non-profit partners, The Merced County Education Foundation (MCEF) or The Merced County Academic Decathlon (MCAD). If you or your company are interested in supporting our programs, please contact Students Events. Thank you to the many sponsors listed in this book and on the donor lists for MCEF and MCAD.
Questions or Sponsorship Info?
Contact Stacie Arancibia Events and Community Engagement
Merced County Office of Education (209) 381-5910 or events@mcoe org
For more information, visit: mcoe.org/StudentEvents
Thank you to the Merced County Education Foundation sponsors!
Sponsors Creating Experiences Outside the Classroom!
Superintendent’s Circle - $20,000+
Rob & Andrea Baptie ~ Tinetti Realty Group
Diamond - $10,000 - $19,999
Educational Employees Credit Union ~ Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc.
Robert Haden & Betty Dawson ~ Merced School Employees Federal Credit Union
Platinum - $2,500 - $9,999
Jim & Carlene Cunningham ~ PG&E Foundation ~SKW& Associates ~ Steve & Becky Tietjen
Gold - $1,000 - $2,499
Lee & Ann Andersen ~ Create CA ~ Yvette & Chris Dalhoff ~ Dust Bowl Brewing Company
Steve & Victoria Gomes ~ Eric & Susan Conley/Gregg Alan Files Foundation
Kathy & Ron Hansen ~ Fred Honoré ~ Ellie Jorritsma ~ Jeanne & Barry McAuley
Merced Irrigation District ~ Merco Credit Union ~ Peck Planning & Development
Janet & Kevin Riley ~ Rotary Club of Merced ~ Thiara Family Orchards
Trevino’s Mexican Restaurant ~ UC Merced ~ Nanette Waggoner ~ Bette Woolstenhulme
Silver - $500 - $999
Michele Arancibia Mike & Paulina Cuchna John Magneson Manuel Mercado
May Moua Maria Mujica Nathan Quevedo Roger & Chi Chi Wood
Bronze - $250 - $499
Claudia Aguilar ~ Mary Ellen Arana ~ Tom Bates ~ Lisa Benson ~ Don & Kenra Bragonier
Keith Chastain ~ Kathleen Crookham ~ Michele & Frank Fagundes ~ Edgardo Gomez
Nick & Jane Guerra ~ In Memory of Travis Parker ~ Amelia Jimenez
Ed Klotzbier & Stella Danis Klotzbier ~ Angelo Kyrilov & Mayya Tokman ~ Little Oven Pizza
Richard Lopez Javier Menera Bruce & Martha Mosqueda Magdalena Perez
Rebecca Rodriguez Janice Rogge Denise & Scott Skidmore State Foods Supermarket
Smart & Final Foundation Carolyn & Russell Vara Don Bergman & Nancy Young-Bergman
