In the News

Thank you for visiting our newsroom. Keep up with latest on Ideaventions Academy!

In the News

• Congratulations to our drone team's 1st Place finish at AVR's Regional competition in Austin, Texas (Friday, November 7)
• Junior Thomas Halliday travels to Normandy on research project on local fallen WWII serviceman
• Top 10 Private High Schools In VA Revealed In New Ranking (Patch, October 3, 2025)
• Senior's essay achieves Finalist standing in New York Times Open Letter contest (June 2025)
• Niche lists Ideaventions Academy as one of the top 10 STEM schools (June 6, 2025)
• Ideaventions Academy Middle School aquatic robotics teams finish in top 1% globally (June 1, 2025)
• Our Lower School Earned 11 Awards at the Northern Virginia Science and Engineering Fair (May 20, 2025)
• Renowned Carnegie Mellon University math professor Dr. Po Shen Lo presented on future-proofing your children (May 17, 2025)
• Ideaventions Students earn top spots (#1, #14, and #17) in the nation in Math Kangaroo! (May 1, 2025)
• Senior Ari Stehney's essay finished top 15% in New York Times tiny memoir contest (February 21, 2025)
• Two seniors named National Merit Finalists (February 13, 2025)
• Ideaventions Academy aerial robotics team finishes 1st in nation (again!) (Reston Patch, December 24, 2024)
• ​Our Head of School was interviewed for Northern Virginia magazine's article on Artificial Intelligence (Northern Virginia Magazine, November 11, 2024)
• Ideaventions Named one of the best High Schools in the Country (Niche.com, October 1, 2024)
• Washington Parent Picks announced! Ideaventions Academy 1st place in STEM Programs, Virginia Day Camp and STEM Camp (Washington Parent, October 1, 2024)
• Seniors At Reston, Herndon Schools Named National Merit Semifinalists (Reston Patch, September 12, 2024)
• Ideaventions Academy's Middle School Aquatic Robotics team Finishes top 5% Worldwide at SeaPerch (RoboNation, June 1, 2024)
• Drone team places 1st at prestigious international conference in San Diego, California (Reston Patch, May 3, 2024)
• Ideaventions Academy named one of Virginia Living's Top Private K-12 Schools (Virginia Living, p. 129, April 2024)
• Two Ideaventions Academy Seniors Named University Scholars at GMU (Reston Patch, March 22, 2024)
• Ideaventions Academy on WUSA9's "Get Uplifted" segment (WUSA9's Get Uplifted, December 12, 2023)
• Read about our 1st Place Win at Bell Helicopter's National Championship in the Reston Patch and Falls Church News Press (December 5, 2023)
• Ideaventions Academy's Advanced Vertical Robotics Wins Big at Bell Helicopter's Regionals Competition in Dallas (Reston Patch, November 29, 2023)
• Ideaventions Academy Ranks #1 on Private School Review for Virginia Schools
• "Common Math Challenges and What to Do" (Washington Parent Magazine, October 3, 2023)
• Top 10 Virginia Schools announced! Ideaventions 1st place in Best Virginia Private School & STEM Camp Competitions (Washington Parent, October 1, 2023)
• Ideaventions Academy Receives Highest Award from Accreditors, the Only School in Virginia (ABC 8 News, September 19, 2023)
• Congratulations to our 3 National Merit Semifinalists! (Reston Patch, September 15, 2023)
• "Boredom: A Real Challenge for Gifted Children and Their Parents" (Washington Parent Magazine, August 2023)
• Ideaventions Academy Student Honored with National Hispanic Award, (Reston Patch, August 18, 2023)
• Ideaventions Academy Earns Top Honors in Virginia (ABC 8 News, August 18, 2023)
• Who's Ranked Highest in Virginia for SAT? Ideaventions! (Private School Review, June 9, 2023)
• Ideaventions Academy Celebrates a Year of Remarkable Achievements  (May 26, 2023)
• Ideaventions Student Named one of William & Mary Top 9 Admits, Earning the Coveted 1693 Scholars Award (Reston Letter, May 2023)
• Ideaventions Academy Excels at Northern Virginia Science and Engineering Fair (May 5, 2023)​
• Ideaventions Academy finishes 2nd at the National Bell Advanced Vertical Robotics Competition in Dallas (December 2022)
• Ideaventions Academy "Daedalus" Team Achieves 1st Place at the Bell Advanced Vertical Robotics Competitions (AZO Robotics, December 2, 2022)
• Reston High School Students Named 2023 National Merit Semifinalists (Reston Patch, September 15, 2022)
• My Major, Featuring Daniel Heitz (National Merit Corporation, February 7, 2022)
• 2022 National Merit Semifinalists Named From Reston Schools (Reston Patch, September 15, 2021)
• 2021 Third Place in the Real-World Innovation Award - International SeaPerch Competition (Seaperch.org, August 2021)
• Vienna Students Win College-Sponsored National Merit Scholarships (Vienna Patch, June 2, 2021) 
• 2021 National Merit Semifinalists Named From Reston Schools (Reston Patch, September 10, 2020)
• Outside the Classroom - Pinhole Camera with Mr. Ryan (WJLA 7 On Your Side, March 26, 2020 - see below)
• Nobel Prize Winner Dives into Physics at Reston School (Reston Now, January 7, 2020)
• Year-Long WWI Research Project by Reston, VA High School Group (World War I Centennial Commission, July 9, 2019)
• Reston-based STEM Academy Awarded Special Certification (Reston Now, November 9, 2017)
• Ideaventions Academy gets STEM-certified (Technical.ly DC, November 3, 2017)
• Ideaventions Academy to Expand with New High School For Fall 2017. STEM Curriculum Will Focus on Research and Innovation (October 24, 2016)
• Ideaventions Academy for Mathematics and Science Achieves AdvancED STEM Certification. First AdvancED STEM-Certified School in Virginia (October 23, 2017)
• Local STEM students find a way to get guinea pigs to tweet (WUSA 9, April 20, 2017)
• Students Who Made a Difference in 2016 (WTOP, December 22, 2016)
• Reston School Will Expand With High School in 2017 (Reston Now, October 25, 2016)
• Ask A Washington DC Expert: 5 Fun & Easy Science Projects To Do At Home  (CBS DC, March 25, 2016)
• Power Women of DC Tech! Juliana Heitz (Bisnow, February 5, 2016)
• Reston: Around the World in a Day (Connection Newspapers, February 2, 2016)
• The New Power Women of DC Tech: Juliana Heitz (Trending 40, January 2016)
• These lucky kids took a VR field trip (Technical.ly DC, January 14, 2016)
• Reston students travel around the world with virtual reality (WUSA 9, January 7, 2016)
• Ideaventions Academy Chosen as Google Expedition School. Students to Go On a Virtual Field Trip Across the Globe (December 17, 2015)
• This School Could Solve Our STEM Problem (Bisnow, July 31, 2015)
• Unique STEM School Ideaventions Academy Opening in Reston (Reston Patch, July 23, 2015)
• Ideaventions Academy to Open in Reston (Connection Newspapers, June 10, 2015)
• Alumni Couple Launches STEM Middle School (TJ Partnership Fund, May 2015)
• New private school in Reston to offer STEM classes for 4th-8th graders (Technical.ly DC, May 6, 2015)
• STEM School Opening in Reston (Bisnow, May 1, 2015)
• How Do You Envision 3D Printing Finding a Place in Science Centers and Museums? Do You Already Use or Have Plans for 3D Printing?  (Association of Science and Technology Centers - Dimensions, May 1, 2015)
• STEM-Based Private School Plans Reston Opening (Reston Now, April 29, 2015)
• New STEM-Based Private School Set to Open in Reston (Patch, April 27, 2015)
• Biggest Challenge in Developing a Brain Exhibit (Association of Science and Technology Centers - Dimensions, January 13, 2015)
• Ideaventions Uses Inventive Ways To Get Children Hooked on STEM (Washington Diplomat, October 31, 2014)
• NoVa Getting Science-Focused Middle School, From Local Startup (Elevation DC, October 24, 2014)
• Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) Alumni Launch STEM Enrichment Program for Kids (TJ Partnership Fund, May 2012)​
• Ideaventions in Oakton, VA Offering Innovative BRAiN Research Program for Middle Schoolers (May 21, 2014)​ 
• Ideaventions Academy to Open in Reston, Virginia This Fall. Only Elementary/Middle School in the Country to Require Computer Science as a Core Class (April 27, 2015)

Talks

• Ideaventions hosts "How to Apply to University of California Schools as an Out-Of-State Student". Video included.
• Nurturing Children in Engineering and Computer Science Through a 4th - 12th Grade Curriculum: Juliana Heitz (National Association for Gifted Children 2022 Convention, November 19, 2022)
• Helping Your Gifted Child Avoid the Summer Slide: Juliana Heitz (Fairfax County Association for the Gifted Presents, May 24, 2022)
• Understanding the National Merit Competition: Juliana Heitz (Fairfax County Association for the Gifted Presents, April 19, 2022)
• What Does a Foundation in Computer Science and Engineering Look Like for the Gifted? Juliana Heitz (Fairfax County Association for the Gifted Presents, February 8, 2022)
• Making all the Difference by Taking “The Road Less Traveled" Panel: Juliana Heitz on STEM Travel (WorldStrides Summit on Global Awareness and Leadership, October 26, 2018)
• Our Road Less Traveled Panel: Juliana Heitz on STEM Travel (WorldStrides Summit on Global Awareness and Leadership, November 4, 2017)
• Igniting NOVA K-12 Engineering and Maker Education Panel: Ryan Heitz (Organized by Future Engineers and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, September 21, 2017)
• Computer Science for All Children:  Ryan talks at Our Lady of Good Counsel PTO and 7th Grade Science Fair (Organized by OLGC PTO, February 2, 2016)
• What TJ Taught Us About Education: Ryan and Juliana at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's 2015 Alumni Day (Organized by the TJ Alumni Association and TJ Partnership Fund, November 28, 2015)
• Careers in STEM: Juliana talks at 8th-Grade Assembly on careers in STEM at Herndon Middle School (Organized by MIT Club of Washington, June 13, 2014)

March 26, 2020

December 12, 2023

April 20, 2017

January 7, 2016