The Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize (GSTEP) Challenge is more than just a competition; it’s a platform for nurturing creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills in young minds. While some teams advance to the semi-finalist and finalist stages, the Perseverance Awards programme recognises those who exhibit remarkable determination and effort, even if they don’t progress to either stage of the challenge.
What Are the Perseverance Awards?
The Perseverance Awards are designed to honour teams that demonstrate exceptional resolve and a commitment to their proposed ideas. These awards celebrate the spirit of pushing forward, refining solutions, and staying engaged in STEM innovation, regardless of the outcome of the initial competition stages.
Award Categories
This year, two awards will be presented:
- Application Stage Perseverance Award: For a team from the initial application that didn’t get selected to the semi-finalist stage but completed their projects and stood out for their creativity and effort.
- Semi-Finalist Stage Perseverance Award: For a team from the semi-finalist stage that didn’t progress to the finalist stage but displayed tenacity and commitment to finish their project.
Support for Perseverance Teams
In addition to the recognition, teams that apply for the Perseverance Awards Programme will receive resources from the GSTEP consortium to continue working on their projects outside the formal competition. This support will empower them to further develop their ideas, pitch their prototypes, and make an impact in their communities.
Evaluation and Selection Process
The journey to the Perseverance Awards begins with an in-depth assessment by the 2025 Youth Steering Group (YSG). This vibrant team of young ambassadors will evaluate submissions to identify teams that embody the spirit of resilience and with projects that make the world better.
- Shortlisting: The YSG will select the top 15 teams (9 from the application stage and 6 from the semi-finalist stage) based on their problem-solving approaches, effort, and innovation.
- Final Assessment: At the 2025 GSTEP exhibition and awards ceremony, the shortlisted teams will present their pitches and prototypes. A panel of judges comprising the YSG members will evaluate their work and select the two winning teams.
Why the Perseverance Awards Are Important
The Perseverance Awards emphasise a crucial aspect of the GSTEP Challenge: that success is not solely defined by advancing to the next stage but by junior high school teams’ ability to learn, grow, and remain committed to creating meaningful change.
Through these awards, the GSTEP consortium seeks to inspire participants to refine their ideas and continue developing innovative solutions. We aim to instill confidence in teams, helping them recognise the value of their efforts and the potential impact they can make beyond the competition.
Additionally, the awards serve as a platform to nurture essential lifelong skills such as resilience, problem-solving, and the ability to view challenges as opportunities for growth.
Apply for the 2025 GSTEP Challenge Perseverance Awards Programme
If your team has applied for the 2025 GSTEP Challenge but didn’t progress to the semi-finalist or finalist stage, don’t miss this opportunity to apply for the Perseverance Awards. You don’t have to go through the whole GSTEP application process again; you are only required to submit your team name, school, district, and region. With the resources and support provided by the GSTEP consortium, your team can continue working on your project, bring your ideas to life, pitch it, and be awarded.
Apply now to the Perseverance Awards Programme here.
