Soybean Science Challenge

What is the Soybean Science Challenge?

Since its launch in 2014, the Soybean Science Challenge has engaged thousands of students and educators nationwide. Through a blend of real-time and online learning, in-service training, virtual field trips, hands-on lab sessions, educational publications, mentorship opportunities, and awards for student research, we're making a tangible impact.

Watch this video to hear from teachers, students, and science fair directors as they share their experiences and insights into how the Soybean Science Challenge is transforming science education and empowering student-led agricultural research.

See the Soy Scholars: 2024 Research Winners

What is the Soybean Science Challenge?

The Soybean Science Challenge is a farmer-funded, statewide, high school education program that seeks to increase student knowledge about the value of Arkansas soybeans to the Arkansas economy, to the labor force, and ultimately to feed and fuel the world.

The Challenge is co-sponsored by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.

In eight years, the Challenge has reached thousands of students and teachers across the nation through real-time and on-line education, in-service training, virtual field trips, classroom lab instruction, Arkansas-based educational publications, mentoring, and awards for independent student research.

Who is eligible?

Students in grades 6-12 who successfully complete the Soybean Science Challenge online course and enter a science project in one of the International Science and Engineering Fair affiliated fairs are eligible for consideration of cash awards.  Applied science projects will be considered from all categories as long as they are soybean or agriculturally related.

Recent Winners

Vishak Meenachi 15, A freshman at Little Rock Central High School  in Little Rock, won first place in the 2025 State Soybean Science Challenge.

Vishak Meenachi,15, a freshman at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, won the 2025 Soybean Science Challenge First Place Award at the State Science and Engineering Fair held at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway on April 4. Meenachi received a $1,000 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. His teacher-mentor, April Owens, is also pictured.

Project Title: Environmental sustainability of soybean based biodiesel compared to standard diesel .

 Learn more about Vishak.

Bennet Chen, 15, a sophomore at Little Rock Central in Little Rock, won second place in the 2025 State Soybean Science Challenge.

Bennet Chen, 15, a sophomore at Little Rock Central in Little Rock, was the second-place state winner of the Soybean Science Challenge at the 2025 Arkansas State Science and Engineering Fair held at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway on April 4, and the regional senior division winner at Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair held at UA Little Rock on Feb. 28. Bennet received a $500 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board at the state level and $400 cash award at the regional level. His teacher-mentor, Lee Conrad, is also pictured.

Project Title: Soycast: a climate driven deep neural network to forecast county level soybean yields and identify environmentally optimal planting regions.

Read more about Bennet

Bianca Navarro and Nora Medlock,17, juniors at the Arkansas School of Math, Science, and the Arts, won Honorable Mention in the 2025 State Soybean Science Challenge.

Bianca Navarro and Nora Medlock,  juniors at the Arkansas School of Math, Science, and the Arts, were the Honorable Mention state winners of the Soybean Science Challenge at the 2025 Arkansas State Science and Engineering Fair at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway on April 4, and the regional winners at the West Central Science Fair held at ASMSA in Hot Springs on Feb. 28. Navarro and Medlock split a $250 award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board at state, and a $400 cash award at regional. Their teacher-mentor, Dr. Lindsey Waddell, is also pictured.

Project Title: Using Glutathionine to increase salt tolerance in soybeans

Learn more about Biance and Nora

Richard Hu 12, an eighth grader at Pinnacle View Middle School in Little Rock, won the Junior Division Soybean Science Challenge Award at the 2025 Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

Richard Hu, 12, an eighth grader at Pinnacle West Middle School in Little Rock, won the 2025 Central Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair Junior Division Soybean Science Challenge Award held Feb. 28 at UA Little Rock. Hu received a $200 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Teacher Kristi Ward is also pictured.

Project title: How does the number of soybeans harvested affect affect it's price?

Learn more about Richard

Thomas Gilliland, 15, a freshman from Benton Junior high School in Benton, won the Senior Division Soybean Science Challenge Award at the 2025 Ouachita Mountains Regional Science and Engineering Fair,

Thomas Gilliland, 15, a freshman from Benton Junior High School in Benton, won the Senior Division Soybean Science Challenge Award at the 2025 Ouachita Mountains Regional Science and Engineering Fair held February 28, in Hot Springs.Thomas received a $400 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Teacher Greg Wertenberger is also pictured.    Learn more about Thomas

Bentley Dawson 13, an eighth grader at Genoa Central Junior High School in Texarkana, won the Junior Division Soybean Science Challenge Award at the 2025 Ouachita Mountains Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

Bentley Dawson, 13, an eighth grader at Genoa Central Junior High School in Texarkana, won the Junior Division Soybean Science Challenge Award at the 2025 Ouachita Mountains Regional Science and Engineering Fair held Feb. 28, in Hot Springs. Dawson received a $200 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Teacher Rita Martin is also pictured.                  Learn more about Bentley

Quentin Gantt, 18, a senior at The Academies at Jonesboro High School won the 2025 Senior Division Northeast Regional Science Fair Soybean Science Challenge Award.

Quentin Gantt 18, a senior at The Academies at Jonesboro High School, won the 2025 Senior Division Northeast Regional Arkansas Soybean Science Challenge held February 7, at Arkansas State University-Jonesboro. Quentin received a $400 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Quentin's teacher-mentor, Allyson Goodin, is also pictured.

Project title: The effects of high pH solution on the growth of soybeans.

Learn more about Quentin

Alexander Pagliani, 16, a junior at Fayetteville Christian Academy won the Senior Division Soybean Science Challenge at the 2025 Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

Alexander Pagliani,16, a junior at  Fayetteville Christian Academy won the Senior Division Soybean Science Challenge at the 2025 Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair held March 7 at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. Pagliani received a $400 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Pagliani is pictured with his Teacher-Mentor,Alicia Deavens.

Project Title: Wood treatment with soy oil.  Learn more about Alexander 

Keira Passantino 13, and Sophie O'Donohoe ,14, eighth graders at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic School, won the 2025 Junior Division Soybean Science Challenge Award at Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair. 

Passantino,13, and Sophie O'Donohoe,14, from St. Vincent De Paul Catholic School in Rogers, won the Junior Division Soybean Science Challenge at the 2025 Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair at University of Arkansas-Fayetteville on March 7. Passantino and O'Donohoe split a $200 cash award provided by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. Passantino and O'Donohoe are pictured with their teacher-mentor, Sean Grom.

Project title: Galactic growth, soybean space.

Learn more about Keira and Sophie

 For more information on the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, visit themiraclebean.com

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Cooking Soybeans