From Local to State Competition: My State Science Adventure
After winning the Long Island Science Congress, I was so excited to travel to Syracuse, New York, for the New York State Science Congress finals. It was amazing to represent Long Island and meet students from all over the state who love science just as much as I do.
The Trip to Syracuse
Walking into the competition was incredible. There were so many different projects covering everything from biology and engineering to psychology and environmental science. I couldn't wait to see what everyone had been working on.
Even though I didn't win an award, I still had a great time and learned a lot. The judges gave me lots of helpful tips and tricks that I can use to make my future projects even better. Talking with them taught me that science fairs aren't just about winning—they're about learning and growing as a scientist.
Traveling
This is me at Penn Station before my 6 1/2 hour train ride!!
Amazing (and Funny!) Projects
One of my favorite parts of the competition was seeing everyone else's projects. There were so many creative ideas, and some of them were hilarious.
My favorite was a project about how baldness affects people's perception of dominance. I thought that was so funny! I never would have imagined someone turning that question into a science project, but that's one of the things I love about science—people can investigate almost anything.
Seeing all the projects gave me lots of ideas and reminded me that science can be serious, surprising, and sometimes even funny.
Lights, Camera, Science!
Another really cool part of the trip was helping make a film for Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. It was so much fun being part of it and getting to share my experience with other young scientists.
You can check out the video here: DNA Learning Center Instagram Reel
It was exciting to see science and storytelling come together, and I had an amazing time filming it.
Final Thoughts
Although I didn't bring home a medal this time, I came home with something even better: new ideas, great advice from judges, and memories I'll never forget.
The whole trip was so much fun, and it made me even more excited about future science fairs and research projects. Sometimes the best part isn't the award—it's all the things you learn and the amazing people you meet along the way.
