Competing for a National Spot: How U.S. High School Students (Grades 9–12) Can Prepare for JSHS

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Competing for a National Spot: How U.S. High School Students (Grades 9–12) Can Prepare for JSHS

For students attending U.S. high schools, extracurricular opportunities—especially in research and STEM—are far more abundant than in many other education systems. The key question is: how can students maximize this advantage?

One answer stands out clearly: JSHS — the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.

What Is JSHS?

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) is one of the most prestigious national research competitions for U.S. high school students. Sponsored by the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, JSHS encourages students in Grades 9–12 to conduct original research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Each year, nearly 20,000 students compete in regional symposia across the United States, all vying for a limited number of spots at the National JSHS.

2025 National JSHS Overview

The 2025 National JSHS was held from April 22–26 at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles Hotel in Chantilly, Virginia.

The event brought together:

  • 239 top high school STEM students from across the country
  • Their research mentors and teachers
  • Representatives from JSHS partner universities

Projects were evaluated by a professional judging panel composed of U.S. Department of Defense scientists, who selected top presenters across eight major disciplines.

2025 JSHS Award Highlights

Poster Competition Winners

Environmental Science

  • 1st Place: D.C. — Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
  • 2nd Place: DoDEA Europe — Kaiserslautern High School
  • 3rd Place: Jordan Chong — Davidson Academy

Biomedical Science

  • 1st Place: Hamsini Ramanathan — Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 2nd Place: Navneeth Badhri — Redmond High School
  • 3rd Place: Pavan Subramani — Morgantown High School

Life & Behavioral Sciences

  • 1st Place: Hailey Kim — Marriotts Ridge High School
  • 2nd Place: Norah Ahmed — Evansville Day School
  • 3rd Place: Riya Raina — Briarcliff High School

Medicine & Health

  • 1st Place: Roshan Amurthur — The Harker School
  • 2nd Place: Rebecca Jacob — Solon High School
  • 3rd Place: Miyeong Berran — Humphreys High School

Engineering & Technology

  • 1st Place: Anusha Agarwal — Greater Washington
  • 2nd Place: Jessie Brenay — Kaiserslautern High School
  • 3rd Place: Alexandra Sigmond — Breck School

Mathematics & Computer Science

  • 1st Place: Henry Zou — Johnston Senior High School
  • 2nd Place: Sebastian Lashmet — Byram Hills High School
  • 3rd Place: Briarcliff High School

Physical Sciences

  • 1st Place: Aditya Sengupta — The Overlake School
  • 2nd Place: Max Berg — Spring Valley High School
  • 3rd Place: Daniela Méndez Cora — Genaro Cautiño Science & Math School

Chemistry

  • 1st Place: Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 2nd Place: Caleb Rowe — Central City High School
  • 3rd Place: Michelle Diep — GSMST

Oral Presentation Winners (Selected Highlights)

Environmental Science

  • 1st Place: BeeMind AI — Matthew Lo
  • 2nd Place: Coal Ash Heavy Metal Impact — Anna Tringale
  • 3rd Place: Water Purification via Foam Fractionation — Lakshmi Agrawal

Biomedical Science

  • 1st Place: Vocalyze (AI for Depression Detection) — Siri Peddinti
  • 2nd Place: Cardiac Effects of COVID-19 — Aaron Weinberg
  • 3rd Place: ASXL3 Biomarker Research — Maya Hammoud

Engineering & Technology

  • 1st Place: Physics-Informed ML for Generative Design — Sean Skinner
  • 2nd Place: Next-Gen VTOL Drones — Cooper Taylor
  • 3rd Place: Wearables for Pressure Injury Prevention — Maya Trutschl

(Additional disciplines include Life Sciences, Medicine & Health, Mathematics & Computer Science, Physical Sciences, and Chemistry.)

Who Is Eligible to Compete?

  • Students must be enrolled in Grades 9–12 in the United States
  • Participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card holders)
  • Students may compete in only one regional symposium, determined by their school or organization’s location
  • Team projects are allowed, but one student must serve as the primary oral presenter

Research Categories

JSHS covers eight major disciplines, including:

  • Environmental Science
  • Biomedical Science & Cell/Molecular Biology
  • Life Sciences
  • Medicine, Health & Behavioral Science
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Mathematics & Computer Science
  • Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry

Each category includes a wide range of subfields such as genetics, neuroscience, AI, robotics, renewable energy, materials science, and more.

JSHS Competition Timeline

  • September–December
    Regional competitions and submission of research materials
  • January–March (following year)
    Regional symposium discussions and evaluations
  • April–May
    National JSHS competition, awards, and scholarships

Required Submission Materials

  • Full research paper
  • Research abstract
  • Scientific poster
  • Timed oral presentation (12 minutes presentation + 6 minutes Q&A)
  • Statement on Outside Assistance

Awards and Scholarships

Each regional symposium selects five finalists to advance to the National JSHS:

  • Top 2 students present orally and compete for $4,000–$12,000 scholarships
  • Remaining 3 students present posters and compete for cash awards

In total, 48 national winners are selected annually from nearly 50 regional symposia across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and DoDEA overseas schools.

Why JSHS Matters for College Admissions

Participating in JSHS allows STEM-oriented students to:

  • Begin serious research early
  • Demonstrate academic passion and research potential
  • Gain national recognition
  • Strengthen applications to top U.S. universities

For many students, JSHS becomes a powerful credential—a true “golden key” to competitive college admissions.