Northern Virginia Regional Science and Engineering Fair Winners Named

Over the weekend, young scientists from the area had a chance to showcase their projects during the 70th Annual Northern Virginia Regional Science and Engineering Fair. This year’s winners, which include students from APS middle and high schools, were announced this week.

The following first place high school winners were selected to compete in the

Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair (VSSEF) at Piedmont Virginia Community College.

• Marek Sundqvist, Arlington Tech
• Anna Brodsky, H-B Woodlawn
• Tesla Pfautz, Washington-Liberty
• Lilah Hoffman, Washington-Liberty
• Margaret Saperstein, Washington-Liberty
• Jackson Weber, Yorktown
• Janak Vasish, H-B Woodlawn
• Anthony Fiorino , Washington-Liberty
• Nadia Lach-Hab, Washington-Liberty
• Mya Elmagraby & Tarek Khalifa, Washington-Liberty
• Kaitlin Madison, Washington-Liberty
• Anna Mohanty, Washington-Liberty
• Noah Allyn, Washington-Liberty
• Declan Leighton, Yorktown

The following first place middle school winners were selected to compete in the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge. This is the nation’s premier STEM research competition for middle school students.

• Cayleigh Beckner, Swanson
• Helena Horowitz, Gunston
• Lucy McNally, Swanson
• Amelia Pearson, Swanson
• Harper Fern, Kenmore
• Nolan Russell & Tim Wagnon, Swanson
• Vishnuvardhini Arul Palaniraj, Jefferson
• Paige Caparas, Williamsburg
• Maedot Ayalew, Kenmore
• Helen Butler, Swanson
• Michael Szeto, Jefferson

Grand Prize Awardee
Declan Leighton – Yorktown; The Analysis of the Effect of Input Power on the Efficiency of a Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster Using Magnetic Deflection and Phosphor Screen Emission

Grand Prize Awardee
Anna Mohanty – Washington-Liberty; RNA Knot: Topological-Based Prediction of Proviral DNA Expression

Grand Prize Alternate Awardee
Janak Vasisht – H-B Woodlawn; Disrupting Renewable Energy With AI 

Middle School Best of Fair
Maedot Ayalew – Kenmore; The Effect of Solar Magnetic Flux and Spatiotemporal Interplanetary Magnetic Field Variations on Space Weather Prediction Accuracy 

For a complete list of the Category winners, visit the APS website.

Organizational awards will be published once they become available.