March

Battle of the Brains Competition - This competition is for the well-read student with a great deal of general knowledge. Students work with their teammates to answer questions in the fields of math, science, social studies, music, current events, literature, art, and logic. The Battle of the Brains Competition will take place at NA on Friday, March 6, 2026.

Online Hackathon 2026 - The FC Hacks club invites middle and high school students to participate in their online hackathon on Saturday, March 7th from 9 AM to 6 PM. Participating students will program for eight hours to address one of the world’s pressing issues. Competitors will be provided assistance from qualified teachers who can help participants through masterclasses and Q&A sessions. Any level of programming experience is welcome, as everyone who participates can either compete for awards and certificates of completion, teach, or even judge final projects. This will be a great opportunity to meet new people who are experienced in tech!

Mock Trial - Students participate as attorneys and witnesses in a simulated criminal or civil case where they prepare and then compete against other gifted students from various districts. Students utilize critical thinking skills to plan a defense or prosecution/plaintiff strategy to win the case and sharpen their public speaking skills. Students will practice and prepare for this event in the previous months during GATE class. A Google Form for interest will be posted at the beginning on November. The first 14 students to sign up will be on the team. The trial date is March 10 with a snow date set for March 12. 

STEM Design Challenge  -  Students will compete in teams to collaborate on a STEM design competition. Planning and preparation will occur in weekly GATE class. The competition will take place on Friday, March 20, 2026. The top team at each IU will compete in the state competition on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Harrisburg.  

Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair - The Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair will take place at the Kamin Science Center on Wednesday, March 25.  Middle school students will design, implement, and present original experiments for a chance to win cash prizes and scholarships. Students will need to design and implement their project in advance. This competition can be done individually or as a group.  Content themes would be one of the following: Chemistry, Engineering, Environmental Science, Health and Nutrition, Outer Space, and Physics. Parent registration and self-transportation is required to attend this competition.