Ever since I was young, science fairs have been an integral part of my life. Being the youngest in my family, I witnessed my brother and sister doing countless projects. I was their practice dummy, just listening to what they had to say without understanding any of it. Oddly enough, I had a lot of fun just being a little part of their project preparation. I remember going to the fair with my dad just to see all the different ideas and projects. It was fascinating seeing all the hard research condensed into a tri-fold board. I knew one of those projects could change the world as we know it today. So when I finally became of age to start a science fair project, I was very excited.
The first time I conducted a science fair project was in 6th grade. It was a very simple project dealing with the growth of plants in the sunlight versus in the dark, but the lessons I learned from this project were massive. I was able to improve my time management skills, my creative skills, and my presentation skills.
Completing a science fair project is a lengthy process. There are many tasks that need to occur step by step, which is why we usually start thinking about the project months before it’s due. If I hadn’t created a schedule to keep myself on track, I would not have been able to complete my research and analysis on time. This yearly process of managing my time and planning ahead has helped me progress into a more organized worker with all of my tasks.
The science fair board needs to look as appealing as possible for the judges. The crisper the board looks, the better impression it leaves on the judge. This means that a lot of work needs to be put into making the board. When I was little, my parents would help me make my board, but as I grew older it became my own responsibility. Making the board was very difficult for me at first because I was not the creative type. However, after perseverance and trial and error I learned how to make a presentable board. Now it is a lot easier for me to create nice looking poster boards and other creative products.
Lastly, the biggest impact science fairs had on my life was the presentation skills I gained from them. Before I did science fairs, I never really had any practice presenting to people. But after going year by year presenting to teachers and judges and gaining feedback from them, I really believe that I have improved greatly. It is a lot easier for me to speak in front of new people and just talk to people in general.
When most people think of science fairs, they only think about the science aspect of them. For me, I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today without all of the skills that the science fair process has instilled in me. If you are on the fence about whether to start a science fair project or not, I would highly recommend it because of all of the benefits you gain.
