About the 2012 Synopsys Championship

The annual Synopsys Championship showcases students in the Santa Clara county of California who will become our future scientists, technology experts, engineers, and mathematicians. This regional competition celebrates achievement by middle and high school students supported by their parents, teachers, and schools.

Through the annual Fair competition, hundreds of the area’s competitive students are challenged to go beyond their classroom studies to do independent project-based research. They work independently or in teams to address questions in the fields of Computer Science, Environmental Science, Medicine & Health, Chemistry, Biology, and a half dozen other categories.

The Synopsys Championship produces winners who go on to compete and win in other state and national competitions, including the prestigious Intel International Science & Engineering Fair. But whether or not a student wins, every student is celebrated and encouraged by the hundreds of other attending students, parents, teachers, mentors, sponsors, judges, and members of the public.

The 2012 Synopsys Championship will be held Wednesday, March 7th at the San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, California. Students will compete in junior (6th – 8th grade) and senior (9th – 12th grade) divisions for awards and prizes in multiple areas of study. Fair participants are drawn from public, private and parochial schools in Santa Clara County.

Prizes and Awards All participants receive a commemorative pin and certificate. First, second, and third place merit prizes are awarded by SCVSEFA for each category in the Junior and Senior Divisions. Top Grand Prize winners advance to an all-expenses-paid trip to the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, PA May 13-18 , 2012. Top students in the Junior and Senior Divisions will be selected to compete in the California State Science Fair in Los Angeles  April 30 - May 1 , 2012. In addition, over 60 area companies, private, professional and governmental organizations present Special Awards.     Important Dates and Deadlines November 11, 2011 – Scientific Review Committee (SRC) Pre-Approval Applications Due for 9th-12th grades. January 6 , 2012 – Scientific Review Committee (SRC) Pre-Approval Applications Due for 6th-8th grades. January 27 , 2012– All Student Applications Due March 6-7, 2012 Synopsys Championship Fair

MIDDLE SCHOOL APPLICATION LIMITS

APPLICATION LIMIT	TEACHER EXPERIENCE	How to get additional # submissions
5 projects/teacher	First year in the Championship or Second Year in the Championship, but no projects winning a category award last year.	10 projects if attend Teacher Workshop + 1 on 1 project preview with the SRC chair before the submission deadline.
10 projects/teacher	2yr in the Championship, and had >1 project last year winning a category award (1st, 2nd, or HM in a scientific category)	Contact the SRC chair
15 projects/teacher	3 or more yr in the Championship, and had >4 projects last year winning a category award (1st, 2nd, or HM in a scientific category)	Contact the SRC chair