Fairfax Science Olympiad Nationals
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Science Olympiad Team – Nationals Bound!
Fairfax High School Virginia State Champions!
What does that mean?
Fairfax High School earned first place at the 2017 Virginia State Science Olympiad Tournament held at the University of Virginia. With the state championship, the Fairfax High School team will represent Virginia at the National Tournament at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio on May 18-20.
Getting to Nationals
Cost: $17,500
How can you help?
Please consider making a donation to support this hardworking team. Any amount helps, and we appreciate your support! Any funds collected beyond the $17,500 will be used to fund future Science Olympiad activities.
Who are we?
We are the Fairfax High School Science Olympiad team and the 2017 Virginia State Champion. Our members compete in tournaments around the country in various science, technology, and engineering events that expose students to new topics far beyond the classroom. Students compete in 25 events representing all major disciplines of science.
With over 50 competitors, we represent not only Fairfax High School, but also the diverse backgrounds and cultures that make our school so unique. Through this club, members have developed skills that lead them to succeed in school and beyond. Our alumni have attended some of the country’s most prestigious universities, and have gone on to work in numerous scientific fields. Science Olympiad has instilled a sense of leadership, hard work, determination, and curiosity in the team members.
Our Season
• 6 tournaments
(including MIT, UPenn, Cornell)
• 36 1st place medals
• 137 total medals
• 2 1st place trophies
(Regionals, State)
Knowledge Event Highlight: Anatomy & Physiology
Why do we sleep? How do we see? What happens to the brain when someone develops Alzheimer’s? These are all questions that were answered this year in anatomy & physiology. The concentration this year is on the nervous, endocrine and sensory organ systems. In order to be successful in this event, teams must have a comprehensive understanding of the body and strong memorization skills. The two head competitors for this event, Sarah and Zach, have had great success throughout the year. They placed first at the state tournament and fourth at the invitational tournament at the University of Pennsylvania. As captain and study captain respectively, Sarah and Zach have been great leaders for the team.
Engineering Event Highlight: Hovercraft
This event is divided into two portions.
The goal of the first portion is to create a hovering vehicle with fine-tuned yet easily adjustable speed. Right before testing begins, the target time and distance is posted. Before a team’s run starts, the velocity of the craft is adjusted to try to get as close to the target time as possible while traveling the required distance. Points are also awarded by how heavy the hovercraft is. The heaviest working hovercraft is awarded the most points.
The goal of the second portion is to test topics such as fluid dynamics, kinematics, and the history of hovercrafts. A strong knowledge of algebra and calculus based physics is essential to success on the written exam.
Lab Event Highlight: Forensics
In forensics, teams are asked a simple question: Who did the crime? The way to get to the answer, however, is anything but simple. In 50 minutes teams are expected to analyze a crime scene, perform qualitative analysis, study blood spatter, fibers, polymers, DNA evidence and more. The two partners need to collaborate together in order to determine who is guilty. This year Fairfax High School's two competitors, Markus and Grace, received 1st place at the state tournament. During the competition, Markus collects data in the lab, and Grace, using the information collected, determines who did the crime. This is Grace’s first year competing, and Markus is one of the team’s captains.
Fairfax High School Virginia State Champions!
What does that mean?
Fairfax High School earned first place at the 2017 Virginia State Science Olympiad Tournament held at the University of Virginia. With the state championship, the Fairfax High School team will represent Virginia at the National Tournament at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio on May 18-20.
Getting to Nationals
Cost: $17,500
How can you help?
Please consider making a donation to support this hardworking team. Any amount helps, and we appreciate your support! Any funds collected beyond the $17,500 will be used to fund future Science Olympiad activities.
Who are we?
We are the Fairfax High School Science Olympiad team and the 2017 Virginia State Champion. Our members compete in tournaments around the country in various science, technology, and engineering events that expose students to new topics far beyond the classroom. Students compete in 25 events representing all major disciplines of science.
With over 50 competitors, we represent not only Fairfax High School, but also the diverse backgrounds and cultures that make our school so unique. Through this club, members have developed skills that lead them to succeed in school and beyond. Our alumni have attended some of the country’s most prestigious universities, and have gone on to work in numerous scientific fields. Science Olympiad has instilled a sense of leadership, hard work, determination, and curiosity in the team members.
Our Season
• 6 tournaments
(including MIT, UPenn, Cornell)
• 36 1st place medals
• 137 total medals
• 2 1st place trophies
(Regionals, State)
Knowledge Event Highlight: Anatomy & Physiology
Why do we sleep? How do we see? What happens to the brain when someone develops Alzheimer’s? These are all questions that were answered this year in anatomy & physiology. The concentration this year is on the nervous, endocrine and sensory organ systems. In order to be successful in this event, teams must have a comprehensive understanding of the body and strong memorization skills. The two head competitors for this event, Sarah and Zach, have had great success throughout the year. They placed first at the state tournament and fourth at the invitational tournament at the University of Pennsylvania. As captain and study captain respectively, Sarah and Zach have been great leaders for the team.Engineering Event Highlight: Hovercraft
This event is divided into two portions. The goal of the first portion is to create a hovering vehicle with fine-tuned yet easily adjustable speed. Right before testing begins, the target time and distance is posted. Before a team’s run starts, the velocity of the craft is adjusted to try to get as close to the target time as possible while traveling the required distance. Points are also awarded by how heavy the hovercraft is. The heaviest working hovercraft is awarded the most points.
The goal of the second portion is to test topics such as fluid dynamics, kinematics, and the history of hovercrafts. A strong knowledge of algebra and calculus based physics is essential to success on the written exam.
Lab Event Highlight: Forensics
In forensics, teams are asked a simple question: Who did the crime? The way to get to the answer, however, is anything but simple. In 50 minutes teams are expected to analyze a crime scene, perform qualitative analysis, study blood spatter, fibers, polymers, DNA evidence and more. The two partners need to collaborate together in order to determine who is guilty. This year Fairfax High School's two competitors, Markus and Grace, received 1st place at the state tournament. During the competition, Markus collects data in the lab, and Grace, using the information collected, determines who did the crime. This is Grace’s first year competing, and Markus is one of the team’s captains.Organizer
Catherine Williams
Organizer
Fairfax, VA