Skip To Main Content

Judging Details

All projects will be judged by the following criteria:

  • Originality —Was the entry original, creative, and imaginative in content and implementation?
  • Clarity —Was the student presentation to the judge clear? (Nervousness will not count against the student)
  • Appropriateness —Was the technology/software used appropriately matched?
  • Design —Does the overall design support the project purpose?

Interview questions are intentially asked to allow students to:

  1. Demonstrate projects.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the software as it relates to the project.
  3. Explain the various aspects of the creation of the project.
  4. Defend choices of software for the project.
  5. Explain and demonstrate the highlights of their project.


Every project is evaluated by a team of 2 judges to determine the best project in that category. The team uses several instruments for making their evaluation. Actual scoring materials will NOT be released.

Review category information and rubric closely before entering a project into a specific competition category.  Rubrics are highly recommended to be used for self-evaluation to find strengths and weaknesses of a project. Judges will NOT base final scores solely on these rubrics since there is also an interview component for each project submission.

How are the winning projects determined? 
Teams of judges will interview students in person no longer than 10 minutes. The judges use a rubric guide to evaluate each project. After completing the judging of all projects in a grade/category, the judges will rank the projects and the top three will be awarded medals. All decisions of the judges are final, and the FCSTC staff does not change judging results.

I notice on the schedule that I'm the only student in a specific grade grouping of a category. Do I automatically win first place and go to the state competition? 
No, judges will award First, Second, and Third place medals to those projects which excel in their categories, based on the rubrics. Medals in all categories will be awarded using this criteria, regardless of the number of projects entered in a particular category. On rare occasions, our judges have deemed that a project simply doesn't meet the standards to represent Fulton County at the GaSTC. We respect the right of our judges to make these decisions and all judges' decisions are final. 

All first place winners in each category will advance to and have the honor of representing Fulton County Schools in the GASTC.  If you are a first place winner, further instructions will be communicated to you after the FCSTC concludes. 

Can I see the judge's materials after judging is over? 
Judge's materials are not shared. Judges turn them over to the FCSTC officials until after the competition closes, at which time they are destroyed. All decisions of the judges are final and the FCSTC officials do not change any judge's results. FCSTC planners appreciate the dedication of the judges who give up a lot of time to help make the competition a reality and we stand by the decisions of our judges.

Can adults or other students help me with my project? 
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to receive help from others when working on your project. However, the project is to be a work by the student or a student team of two. Any help should be to assist the student in the creation of the project and judges will expect a student to explain ANY aspect of a project's function in the video. If someone else helps you do something, be sure that you understand how to explain it to the judges.