The 2025 National STEM Festival transformed Washington, D.C., into a hub of scientific inspiration for tomorrow’s problem-solvers.
A 4-day celebration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics every March, the EXPLR National STEM Festival showcases unqiue projects. Jenny Buccos and former MythBusters star Kari Byron Thousands of students, scientists, and educators gathered for what Buccos describes as a "national science fair" at its core.
Despite the overwhelming array of minds and messages, two takeaways stood out:
The 2025 National STEM Festival brought together 103 student champions from 47 states and four U.S. territories. The students showcased their innovative solutions to real-world problems.
These projects came from the National STEM Challenge competition. They focused on six key areas:
Young innovators showcased remarkable projects, including a neonatal incubator that operates without electricity and methods for detecting soil moisture using aerial imagery.
The student innovation showcase was one of the best parts of the festival. Young students showed their creative solutions to real-world problems.
A key focus of the festival was strengthening the path for students to pursue STEM careers. Sticking with tech education can be difficult, especially for students who don't see themselves represented in these fields. Buccos and Byron designed the event to give all students the tools to move forward in their STEM journeys.
"One thing that can be challenging for students, particularly those who may not come from families full of STEM people or families who have had higher education experiences, is to understand the vast array of pathways that people can take in STEM," explained Cunningham.
The festival provided opportunities for students to network with potential mentors and see themselves in established field pros.
This mission aligns perfectly with Morgan's STEM Machine, which aims to make STEM accessible to all students through engaging, hands-on experiences that build confidence and spark interest from an early age.
Among the student champions at the festival was Linda Pistun, a 12-year-old who’s already a sophomore at Thomas Jefferson High School in Virginia. Linda’s sustainable circular food system using mealworms has earned her appearances on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and other national recognition.
"I love that in science, there's always something more to learn," Linda said. "You can discover anything new, which the National STEM Festival shows, because there's so many different projects."
Linda's enthusiasm for discovery mirrors the philosophy behind Morgan's STEM Machine, which aims to instill that same passion for learning in students across the country.
Another standout participant was Ani Nishanian, an eighth-grader at Rocky Run Middle School in Chantilly, Va. Ani, who is studying sustainable space travel, founded "We STEM the Future," a nonprofit initiative that’s shining a wider spotlight on STEM through workshops and a podcast.
"We want to break down age and gender barriers and teach students that STEM goes beyond just regular textbook math and science," Ani explained.
Students, educators, and industry leaders alike were drawn to Morgan’s STEM Vending Machine. Why? It dispenses STEM projects as rewards for positive behavior.
In this creative atmosphere, Morgan's Marvelous STEM Machine presented its own solution to educational challenges. The visiting company allowed attendees to experience the power of reward-based learning first-hand. By putting earned science kits into students’ homes, this program helps schools across America reinforce the importance of STEM education.
The idea is simple: Sstudents earn special tokens for showing good behavior. They can exchange these tokens for hands-on STEM activity kits from a vending machine. Each kit offers Engaging projects
The National STEM Festival provided the perfect backdrop for demonstrating student’s potential to address America’s tech talent “brain drain”.
"The connections that these kids make are going to be connections they have for life,” Byron noted about the event. “And we know that science can be very collaborative, and that's where the magic happens."
Morgan, from the inventors of Inchy’s Bookworm Vending Machine, aims to create collaborative STEM learning experiences that extend beyond traditional classroom settings, perfectly aligning with this sentiment.
Attendees experienced the excitement of STEM vending firsthand during the prestigious gathering, co-founded by in the nation's capital.
What sets Morgan's Marvelous STEM Machine apart is its comprehensive approach to education – namely, project-based learning Beyond just dispensing products, the program:
Festival attendees were particularly impressed by how the machine transforms STEM learning into an interactive and motivating experience. Many educators expressed interest in implementing the system in their own schools, recognizing its potential to change how students engage with future-ready learning.
The festival's impact goes beyond the few days of events in Washington. More than 95% of students who participated in the 2024 festival said the event helped them find the right network, resources, or facilities to pursue STEM
Beyond just celebrating current student achievements, the festival aims to inspire younger children to continue in STEM fields for years – or decades – to come.
"We just want to get them really excited," Buccos said. "Particularly for the young people, we want to capture that curiosity and spark that joy before they self-select out of science, before they say, 'This is not for me.'"
Looking to the Future
As Buccos eloquently stated:
"I would like scientists and innovators and problem solvers to be celebrated the same way we celebrate rock stars and musicians and athletes. Because they are the future of our planet. And we should celebrate them and elevate them in the same way."
Morgan's Marvelous STEM Machine represents exactly this kind of celebration – recognizing and rewarding scientific curiosity and achievement in a tangible, exciting way that resonates with today's students.
The festival coincided with STEM Week 2025, a week of events held at libraries, museums, and other STEM organizations nationwide, further amplifying the message that technical education deserves support at all levels.
After the successful week, Morgan is poised to expand to more schools nationwide, bridging the skills gap and inspiring the next generation of innovators – one token at a time.
For more information about implementing Morgan's Marvelous STEM Machine in your school, visit STEMVending.com.