Virginia High School Students Are Winners
In International Space Olympics Competition
-Albemarle and Prince William Students Place-

Two Virginia high school students came home as winners in the 2006 International Space Olympics competition held October 17-29 in Korolev, Russia. Patrick LeDuc, a senior at Albemarle High School, placed third overall in the competition with his project on using binary stars to aid space travel. Erin Dale, a senior at Forest Park High School in Prince William County , came in ninth for her project on the socioeconomic benefits of improved hurricane forecasting.

In addition to LeDuc and Dale, the Virginia team and their research projects consisted of the following:

• Daniel Breakiron of Nelson County High School on habitat design for extraterrestrial colonization
• Adam Hughes of Amherst County High School on life-support systems in outer space
• Abby Peltier of Hidden Valley High School in Roanoke County on how biological materials can support continued space exploration.

Since 1999, the Virginia Department of Education has sponsored teams to participate in International Space Olympics. This year, Virginia students competed against students from Australia, Germany , Great Britain , Greece, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

Juniors and seniors selected to represent Virginia received scholarships covering all major costs including air transportation to Russia, meals, and housing. During the competition each student made an oral presentation of their research project related to space exploration and participated in selected tests in physics, mathematics, computer science, and literature.

Highlights of the visit included opportunities to talk to scientists and cosmonauts, to interact with other international students, and to participate in a variety of cultural activities.

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