Welcome to the High School Science Fair Program

All high school students within the boundaries of the West Linn-Wilsonville School District are eligible to participate in the CREST-Jane Goodall Science Symposium. The CJGSS is a competitive science and engineering fair that qualifies students for advanced high school science competitions, including the state-level Northwest Science Expo (NWSE) and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Our program is known among students and staff as "ISEF." Students compete for category awards, scholarships, cash prizes, travel opportunities and recognition from nationally-recognized organizations.

If you're interested in participating in the high school science fair you should fill out the ISEF Pre-Registration Form and let us know what kinds of projects you're interested in by October 1st. When you fill out this form, one of the ISEF Program Coordinators will contact you to schedule a brief meeting. If you missed the October 1st deadline - please send Fair Director, Danielle Schroeder, an email notifying her of your intent to enroll and she will help you begin the process. Every student has a designated ISEF Appointment each week - these schedules are posted in the ISEF Google Classroom - you can check the schedule to find your appointment time and day. 

If you're homeschooled and want to participate in the science fair, please contact the Fair Director, Danielle Schroeder, as soon as possible. All science fair projects must be registered by early December. 

2022-2023 ISEF Informational Video

Begin the science fair journey here: www.tinyurl.com/isef2023

If you're curious about the science fair experience or timeline, check out these graphics below. The district's ISEF Coordinators will help you move through each phase of the project development process so that you are ready to compete in the regional fair in the spring! 

General Information

• Phases of ISEF - in detail
• Category Descriptions for NWSE - CJGSS categories are similar, but not the same

Idea Development and Getting Started

• 4 Methods for Brainstorming a Science Fair Project (Word or PDF)
• ScienceBuddies Topic Selection Wizard
• ScienceBuddies Science Fair Tips for Success
• ScienceBuddies What Makes a Great Science Logbook?  (PDF or website)  
• Your Research Question (PDF or website)
• Finding and Accessing Scientific Papers (PDF or website)
• How to Read a Scientific Paper (PDF or website)
• Background Research Plan Worksheet

• Your Project Question
• Variables in Your Science Fair Project
• A Strong Hypothesis
• Experimental Procedure
• How to Increase Ability of Experiment to Measure an Effect
• Advanced Experimental Design
• Engineering/Programming Project Tips
• Bibliography Worksheet