Samuel Stankiewicz won first place in the Computer Science and Mathematics categories, and the overall Grand Prize for the Regional FCPS Science and Engineering for his project, "Simulated Brokerage for Novice Investors." Sam is the first West Springfield student (in known history) to win the Grand Prize.

Sam's project is a simulated brokerage platform that allows anyone to invest in the stock market in real time, for free. It is designed to increase the effectivity of personal finance courses, and as such his website and app have been used around the world at all levels of education in such classes. You can try it out at https://stradr.com/onboarding. 

What makes Sam's entry into the FCPS Science and Engineering Fair unique, is that he is a freshman, and does not yet take any courses at West Springfield that would even encourage him to enter the Science Fair. Sam explains that he likes computer science and enjoys solving interesting problems using programming. He also enjoys investing, economics, business, and politics, which spurred on the website and app. Sam says he created stradr.com in hopes of providing a tool to increase financial literacy, especially for students. He entered the Science Fair at the suggestion of a friend and the urging of an advisor only a couple days before projects were due!

Winning first place positions Sam to represent WSHS at the Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair. Additionally, FCPS will send him along with nine other FCPS students to the International Science Fair in Dallas, TX this May.