Science

All APS secondary schools host annual local science fairs.  These fairs provide students with the opportunity to engage in independent science research and to communicate their results to teachers, peers, and judges.  Our students receive valuable feedback on their scientific investigation and communication skills and top projects from the school-based fairs are invited to present their research at the Northern Virginia Regional Science & Engineering Fair. These experiences would not be possible without the help of volunteer judges.  Please consider volunteering as a judge at one of our school fairs. 

2026 Northern Virginia Regional Science & Engineering Fair

The Northern Virginia Regional Science and Engineering Fair will be held at Wakefield High School on February 28, 2026.

• 2026 Category Awards
• 2026 Society Awards
• 2026 Entry Booklet: List of entries by category
• 2026 Abstracts: Abstracts are organized by category and grade level. Teams projects are listed after individual projects. Abstracts appear as entered by the students. There is a 250 word limit; entries exceeding 250 words were curtailed to fit this limit.

Previous fair information:

Note:  Abstracts are organized alphabetically by subject category and grade. Team projects are listed after the individual projects for each grade level. Abstracts appear as entered by the students. There is a 250 word limit; entries exceeding 250 words were curtailed to fit this limit.

Category Judges

If you are interested in serving as a judge for one of the subject categories, please complete the Category Judge interest form.  Category judges determine First Place through Honorable Mention awards within one subject group, as well as nominations for students to compete at the Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair (VSSEF) and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Additional information for new Category Judges may be found here.

Society-Organization Judging

Societies and Organizations are invited to participate in a separate judging of students projects based on their own criteria, interests, and judging rubric. They are free to evaluate whatever projects they want within any of the subject categories.  If your Society or Organization would like more information, please contact us by emailing [email protected].

• Elementary Science Resources
• Secondary Science Resources

• APS Environmental Literacy Plan