29 competitions open to 8th graders. Next date is in 1 days.
Start this week1 days
YMCA Texas Youth & Government
Students write bills, argue cases and run for office in a model state government, ending at a State Conference in Round Rock. District conference registration closes: Oct 25.[1]
Start this week2 days
Congressional App Challenge
Build any app, in any language, and get recognized by your member of Congress. Register and submit app: Oct 26.[2]
Start this week5 days
Conrad Challenge
Hands-on invention with a team, judged in stages. A good fit for builders. Registration and Lean Canvas due: Oct 29.[3]
Worth knowing
Doing several at once is a lot alongside school and sports. If they pick one, start with the nearest deadline.
Add grade 8 dates to my calendar
Dates update on their own when an organizer changes them. Nothing about your child is stored.
The year at a glance
2026–27SONDJFMAMJ
Deadline or testNext roundToday
This season's dates
21- CHECKED OCT 16YMCA Texas Youth & GovernmentTX only · Leadership · District conference registration closes: Oct 25
- CHECKED OCT 11Congressional App ChallengeCoding · Register and submit app: Oct 26
- CHECKED OCT 9Conrad ChallengeInnovation · Registration and Lean Canvas due: Oct 29
- CHECKED OCT 19YMCA Minnesota Youth in GovernmentMN only · Leadership · Regular registration closes ($599): Oct 30
- CHECKED OCT 16Technology Student Association (TSA)Technology · Chapter affiliation deadline (late fee after this date): Nov 1
- CHECKED OCT 11MATHCOUNTSMath · Early-bird registration (postmarked): Nov 3
- CHECKED OCT 16Letters About Literature (Texas)TX only · Writing · Submission portal opens: Nov 4
- CHECKED OCT 16Bebras Computing ChallengeCoding · Challenge window begins (Nov 9–20): Nov 9
- CHECKED OCT 16Future City CompetitionEngineering · Project Plan parts 1–2 due (North Texas): Nov 10
- CHECKED OCT 16FBLABusiness · Area 7 Fall Leadership Conference, Fort Worth (other areas Oct 14–Nov 14): Nov 14
- CHECKED OCT 16HOSA Future Health ProfessionalsHealth · Texas affiliation deadline, high school members: Nov 15
- CHECKED OCT 16UIL A+ AcademicsTX only · Academics · Participation registration due (schools): Nov 20
- CHECKED OCT 16Scripps National Spelling BeeSpelling · $199 school enrollment rate ends: Nov 30
- CHECKED OCT 16Scholastic Art & Writing AwardsArt & writing · Entry and fee deadline (Region-at-Large South): Dec 2
- CHECKED OCT 16TMSCA Math & Science MeetsTX only · Math · Gear-Up online meet registration closes: Dec 4
- CHECKED OCT 10The Earth PrizeEnvironment · Registration phase ends: Jan 10
- CHECKED OCT 11AMC 8Math · Test week (Jan 21–27) begins: Jan 21
- CHECKED OCT 17Science OlympiadScience · Apple Valley Regional (Div B/C), Apple Valley HS: Jan 30
- CHECKED OCT 11National History DayHistory · Metro Senior regional registration due (event Mar 8, tentative): Feb 22
- CHECKED OCT 19Minnesota State Science & Engineering FairMN only · Science · Twin Cities Region science fair: Feb 26
- CHECKED OCT 16NSDA Speech & DebateSpeech & debate · National Tournament, Phoenix, AZ: Jun 13
More to explore
8Popular picks. Tap through for details and the official site.
- CyberPatriotCybersecurity · uscyberpatriot.org
- Doodle for GoogleArt · doodleforgoogle.doodles.google
- FIRST Tech ChallengeRobotics · firstinspires.org
- NorthSouth Foundation Spelling BeeSpelling · northsouth.org
- South Asian Spelling BeeSpelling · southasianspellingbee.com
- Technovation GirlsCoding · technovationchallenge.org
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators ChallengeScience · societyforscience.org
- USACOCoding · usaco.org
Nothing matches those interests for grade 8.
[1] YMCA Texas Youth and Government, key dates for 2026–2027 season, checked Oct 16
[2] Congressional App Challenge, student rules, checked Oct 11
[3] 2026–2027 Conrad Challenge Student Guide, checked Oct 9
[4] YMCA of the North, Youth in Government 2027 program season, checked Oct 19
[5] Texas TSA 2026–27 Advisor Guidebook (PDF), Affiliation page, and National TSA 2027 conference page, checked Oct 16
[6] MATHCOUNTS Competition Rules & FAQ, 2026–27, checked Oct 11
[7] Letters About Literature Texas, official rules 2026–2027, checked Oct 16
[8] Bebras Computing Challenge USA, 2026 challenge dates, checked Oct 16
[9] Future City Texas (North) region page, 2026–27 dates, checked Oct 16
[10] Texas FBLA, State Leadership Conference and Area Conferences pages (2026–27), checked Oct 16
[11] Texas HOSA 2026–2027 Calendar of Events (PDF) and HOSA ILC page, checked Oct 16
[12] UIL A+ Academics calendar and 2026–27 UIL Calendar, checked Oct 16
[13] Scripps National Spelling Bee, 2026–27 enrollment, checked Oct 16
[14] Scholastic Awards region finder, Region-at-Large South (2027 season), checked Oct 16
[15] 26-27 TMSCA Calendar (tentative, approved 07-26) and Upcoming Meets page, checked Oct 16
[16] The Earth Prize 2027 timeline, checked Oct 10
[17] MAA American Mathematics Competitions, 2026–27 dates, checked Oct 11
[18] Science Olympiad 2027 National Tournament schedule, checked Oct 17
[19] National History Day, find your local contest, checked Oct 11
[20] Minnesota Academy of Science, 2027 State Science Fair details, checked Oct 19
[21] NSDA National Tournament, future host sites, checked Oct 16
Suggestions, not guarantees. Always confirm with the organizer.