Tori's Science Fair Project

Tori's science fair project this year was pretty cool. She decided to test the "5 second rule." The process was the cool part.

I'm working at Uintah High this year, and I asked a great biology teacher there (Rebekah Jones) if she knew where I could buy petri dishes with agar in a hurry. (We had ordered some from Amazon, but they arrived in bad shape.) She said they had plenty of petri dishes, and some old agar mix that she thought would still be good. She invited me to bring Tori after school, so she could help her prepare the dishes. She had Tori do all the figuring and work, but she was a great mentor.
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Mixing the agar.

While we waited for the agar to set, Bekah had Tori look at some bugs from her pond water, and cells from inside Tori's cheek. It was so great for Tor to get that kind of one-on-one time with a biologist. She really enjoyed it.

Here's Tori running the experiment. She was very independent: she decided how she wanted to do it, and she completed the whole process by herself. She was also really good at making the graphs showing the results. I think maybe she should be a scientist of some sort. (But then, she was good at writing the information, so maybe her plan to be an author is a sound one.)

We kept them in the incubator at the school for about four days. When I went to pick them up, they smelled horrible!

Tori took 3rd overall at the school, and, with any luck, I'll be able to post updates about future wins here. (Region is this week.)

And now...here's the update! Tori got an honorable mention (4th place) in her category!

 And while we're talking about Tori, she recently got inducted into the Jr. National Honor Society. (Eli will be - his grades and citizenship are great this year, as well.) Tori was also chosen to represent the school at the state math competition.

Tori has already completed three of the Young Women Values, in less than a year. For one of the projects, she made this dress!

And, finally, she auditioned for a community play, and was cast in the children's choir, along with Eve. (There was only one girl speaking part, but soon they'll be putting on Annie, and then maybe Tori and Maggie can get the parts they deserve!)