Why isn the Tech Competition set up like a Science Fair with open viewing for parents and students?
Science Fair judges evaluate projects in the absence of the student who created it. Projects are static displays that are set up and left for viewing by judges and visitors. Tech Competition judging is interactive and involves judges meeting with the students who created the project. Most Tech Competition projects are not static displays and must be observed in operation. If judge interviewing were going on with visitors moving throughout the judging area, it would be very hard to hear and to focus on the project and student. Students come to the Tech Competition from all across the county. We have a limited time in the building and to require the students and volunteers to arrive early and stay late after the competition is not feasible. In the past, when we had a one hour preview period to observe projects, it was difficult to closing the viewing time and get the judging started.
