Student Innovation on Display at ACPS Science and Engineering Fair
Standout projects advance to No Va Regionals, February 28 at Wakefield High School
Alexandria, VA — Alexandria’s future scientists and engineers took center stage on February 5 as Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) hosted its annual Science and Engineering Fair at Alexandria City High School’s King Street Campus. The event brought together students, educators, families, and community members for an evening celebrating curiosity, creativity, and academic achievement.
The fair marked the culmination of months of sustained inquiry by middle and high school students across the division. As part of their science classes, more than 1,600 students developed research and engineering projects rooted in questions and problems that mattered to them personally. Students designed experiments, tested hypotheses, analyzed data, and refined their findings, gaining firsthand experience with the practices used by scientists and engineers in the real world.
From this large pool of student work, more than 200 projects were selected for presentation at the citywide fair. Public viewing was open early in the evening, allowing families and community members to explore the exhibits, ask questions, and engage directly with student presenters. Projects spanned a wide range of disciplines, from environmental science and technology to biology, chemistry, and engineering design, reflecting both academic rigor and creative thinking.
Community involvement played a key role in the event’s success. Approximately 90 volunteer judges, representing a variety of professional backgrounds, evaluated student projects throughout the evening. Judges assessed entries across eight categories and recognized first-, second-, and third-place winners based on research quality, originality, analysis, and presentation skills. Their participation underscored the strong partnership between Alexandria City Public Schools and the broader Alexandria community.
In addition to local awards, the fair served as a pathway to regional competition. Judges recommended several standout projects for advancement to the Northern Virginia Regional Science and Engineering Fair, scheduled for February 28 at Wakefield High School in Arlington. For these students, the opportunity to compete at the regional level represents both recognition of their hard work and a chance to further develop their scientific communication and problem-solving skills.
For ACPS, the Science and Engineering Fair remains an important showcase of inquiry-based learning in action. The event highlighted the division’s commitment to providing students with authentic, hands-on learning experiences that encourage curiosity, persistence, and critical thinking.
For those in attendance, the fair offered an inspiring glimpse into the talent and potential of Alexandria’s students—and a reminder that today’s classroom investigations may become tomorrow’s innovations.
The Zebra Press congratulates all First-, Second-, and Third-place winners, as well as those who received Honorable Mentions. The names and schools of the award winners can be found at this link:
