The 1999 awards event took the Urbana ThinkQuest Teacher's team to the Universal City Hilton and Towers in Universal City, California. Set in the hills, the Hilton overlooked the Los Angeles Entertainment District. Walking distance from the Universal Studios and City Walk, the weekend was packed with celebration and entertainment.

Gold Award Winners in the "Materials for Grade Groups" for the site "ScienceNet: Project Based Physical Science" were team members: Kevin Erlinger, UMS Science teacher; Pamela Van Walleghen, UMS Technology Coordinator; Brian Dvorkin, U of I Physics Education student, and Evangeline Pianfetti, U of I Office of Educational Technology.