Outreach Programs

LSAW is dedicated to providing outreach and public awareness regarding the land surveying profession. Click the links below to learn more about our outreach projects.

For Teachers

Online Resources

• KanGIS - K-12 GIS Educators
• McGraw Hill - K-6 Math
• MathForum.org
• National Science Foundation

For Students - Trig-Star

Trig-Star is an annual high school mathematics competition based on the practical application of Trigonometry. Students that participate are not only provided with an opportunity to earn awards, but also leave with a better understanding of the technical profession of Geomatics, which includes Land Surveying and Mapping.

Professional Land Surveyors use the Trig-Star program to advance communication with the communities they serve. Local Land Surveying and Civil Engineering companies provide professionals who volunteer their time to explain how trigonometry is used to solve Land Surveying and Mapping problems.

Purpose

• To promote excellence in the mastery of mathematics in high school.
• To honor high school students who have demonstrated their superior skill among classmates at the local, state, and national levels.
• To acquaint the high school students with the use and practical applications of mathematics in the Geomatics professions.
• To build awareness of Geomatics as a profession among mathematically skilled high school students, career guidance counselors, and high school math teachers.

What happens during the Trig-Star contest?

There may be a presentation by a Land Surveyor from one of the local surveying companies to help participants understand the Geomatics profession. The exam is a timed exercise of one hour, during which students must solve trigonometric problems that incorporate the use of right triangle formulas, the law of sines, and the law of cosines. Winners are determined by the most correct answers in the fastest time. The Trig-Star program, in the State of Washington, has three levels of testing and awards.

Local Test - Sponsored by LSAW Chapters

This level of testing is given to local high schools. There is one winner per high school and that winner advances to compete at the state level. Awards at this level are established by the local chapter sponsor.

National Test - Sponsored by the NSPS

The National test is given locally and scored in July at the NSPS headquarters. There are three levels of awards for the National test. 1st Place is a $2000 cash award to the student winner and a $2000 Teacher Excellence Award to the teacher of the winner, 2nd Place is a $1000 cash award to the student winner and a $1000 Teacher Excellence Award to the teacher of the winner, 3rd Place is a $500 cash award to the student winner and a $500 Teacher Excellence Award to the teacher of the winner.

Trig-Star Deadlines & Test Dates

The annual deadline for local testing is May, with exams normally administered in late winter or in spring. For more information visit the Trig-Star website.

Past Trig-Star Winners

2019	Chloe Chapman	North River HS	Southwest Chapter
2018	Kai Burgman	North Thurston HS	Southwest Chapter
2017	Saowapakn Hanoadunkit	Rainier HS	Southwest Chapter
2016	Jeffrey Mayolo	LaCenter HS	Southwest Chapter
2015	Joshua Shephard	Union HS	Lower Columbia Chapter
2014	Natalie Sanchez	Rochester HS	Southwest Chapter
2013	Sam Shuman	Graham/Kapowsin HS	South Puget Sound Chapter
2012	Sean Phenise	Graham/Kapowsin HS	South Puget Sound Chapter
2011	David Anderson	Graham/Kapowsin HS	South Puget Sound Chapter
2010	John Christopher
2007	Bryan Minor	Prairie HS, Vancouver, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
2006	Bryan Minor	Prairie HS, Vancouver, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
2005	Pavan Vaswani	Skyview HS, Vancouver, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
2004	Alexander Hudson	Prairie HS, Brush Prairie, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
2003	Christopher Dow	Battle Ground HS, Battle Ground, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
2002	Bouchane Henderson	La Center HS, La Center, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
2001	Phillip Opperman	Skyview HS, Vancouver, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
2000	Bon Ung	Evergreen HS, Vancouver, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
1999	Jon Loehrke	Stevenson HS, Stevenson, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
1998	Trung Le	Fort Vancouver HS, Vancouver, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
1997	James Pate	North Thurston HS, Lacey, WA	Southwest Chapter
1996	Matthew Gibson	Ridgefield HS, Ridgefield, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
1995	Travis Bodeutsch	Tumwater HS, Tumwater, WA	Southwest Chapter
1994	Michael Noble	Sammamish HS, Bellevue, WA	North Puget Sound Chap.
1993	Tim Uy	Sehome HS, Bellingham, WA	Northwest Chapter
1992	Lance Cheney	Prairie HS, Brush Prairie, WA	Lower Columbia Chapter
1991	Joseph Lee	Cascade HS, Everett, WA	Snohomish Chapter
1990	-Not awarded-	n/a	n/a
1989	Chris Corrie	Capitol HS, Olympia, WA	Southwest Chapter