Regional Science fair

K made it to the Regional SLVSEF (Salt Lake Valley Science Engineering Fair). This is the highest level that she can go in a science fair until she is in high school. So, just being here was a great honor. The kids that make it here placed first in their districts/grades with their projects. The kids come for all over the area and from all sorts of schools - private, virtual, public, specialty schools, etc.. K chose to do her project on Magnetic Levitation and how it could benefit our future. She talked about the negative force of magnets and how they are stronger than the pull of gravity. She talked about the Messiner Effect and how the magnetic field could (in theory) be used to run entire cities without depleting the fuels we currently rely on. For a 7th grader, she didn't do bad!

The event took place at the University of Utah and K had a great view of the football stadium! I was sort of jealous that I couldn't be there all day with her and see all the projects! After we got her set up on Thursday, I took K out and got her a new outfit. She wanted to look nice -and you should look nice for things like this - so we went on a little shopping trip. On Friday Morning, Tim dropped K off and we said good-bye for the day! Parents aren't allowed to be at the building until after the judging!

Friday night brought the awards ceremony.... The Elementary awards were given first. When they got to the transportation awards, K's name wasn't mentioned at all and the tears flowed. When the awards were done, we got up to leave and K remarked "wait, I don't think I'm in the Elementary division" - and she was right, she was in the Senior Division, so we sat back down. Now, the difference in the Sr. Division and the Elementary is the grade levels and in Sr. they don't give honorable mention -only 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. I wasn't holding out much hope for K... her project was good, but there were some that were AMAZING and there were 25 kids in her category. So, once again, the transportation category came up and once again, her name wasn't called, and like deja vu, the tears came.... again. After she got done blaming me for not telling her what to do, and the judges for not being able to speak English, and so on... she calmed down enough to acknowledge that loosing SUCKS and that she hates it. (Keep in mind that K has never really lost anything before.... she puts in minimal efforts and receives maximum rewards and so no lesson in perseverance has ever really been learned). We had a long chat in the car on the way home about what could have been done different, how Tim and I are still proud of her and that she made it to Regionals, and what she might want to do next year. We got home and she went to bed, still crying. On Saturday K got up, swollen eyes and all, and announced what she has planned for next year. She had a drawing and some notes already written down and I'll tell ya - the project is VERY ambitious, but if anyone can pull it off - she can. So we'll see if this momentum keeps up. Loosing the Fair will be more valuable than any medal that she would have received. She learned a great lesson and I hope she carries it with her always. Regardless, we are so proud of you K...... good luck next year!!