The annual North Carolina AQ-IQ Contest for seventh grade combines S.T.E.A.M. education and project-based learning with student creativity to teach air pollution science to students across the state. Students create projects that educate others about an air quality challenge and provide solutions. Projects can be artistic, online/interactive, posters, or videos. Special topic categories for 2025-2026 include Open Burning, Celebrating Ten Years of Success, and Adventures of the Air Avenger. Best projects in each of seven regions will be selected in early May and invited to the Air Expo and AQ-IQ Recognition Ceremony in July 2026. Open to all seventh-grade students in North Carolina including home, charter, and private schools. Students can work in groups of up to four.

This is a hands-on gardening program that connects students to science, creativity, environmental stewardship. Students will explore plant life cycles, sustainability, and regional planting knowledge. Projects include: Seedling Creation - Monitoring growth conditions, journaling changes, comparing crop types; Learning Planting Seasons - Crop calendars, warm vs. cool weather plants; Papermaking with Garden Vegetables - Using garden scraps to make decorative, textured paper. All programs include a meaningful take-home component. Each day runs from 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM with a student showcase on Friday starting around 1:30 PM. Lunch program available at no additional cost. Before care ($10/day, 7:30-8:30 AM) and after care ($20/day, 3-5 PM) available. Scholarships available on tiered system based on family need.