Far more than just another science fair
It's not every day that a high school sophomore is asked to present her research project at a professional-level science symposium. But that’s exactly what happened to Camas High School student Sophie Shoemaker after her work on sustainable agriculture garnered prizes at regional and state science fairs. She received an invitation in June to present her project at the Washington State Academy of Sciences symposium. At the time, school was ending and her focus wasn't on research. "Then after school began, Mr. (Ron) Wright asked me if I understood how big a deal this was," she said. "I didn't. Once I learned, I was a little nervous. But I'm a kid, they're not there to judge me. It was a fun thing to do."