My Experiences at the 2005 Science Congress and the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge

Sheel Tyle

My inherent love for science began early on when I did my first frog dissection in 5^th grade. That was followed by a dissection of a pig lung and heart, which really got me interested in the way the body works. With the support of my parents and two science teachers at Pittsford Middle School, Mr. Robert Rountree and Ms. Susan Lochner, I was ready to embark on a scientific expedition to do a science project. This would turn out to be the most rewarding activity I have done so far.

Due to a family history of eye problems, I found mentors in the lab of Dr. David DiLoreto in Retinal Cell Biology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. I worked on a project that turned out to be a replica of the beauty of science—one question answered, and three more asked. I entered it into the Central Western Section Science Congress at St. John Fisher College in March 2005.

I went to the lab about three times a week starting in October 2004. It never was a burden to go; it was enjoyable and I was looking forward to going every day. Every Thursday after school, I went to Mr. Rountree’s Science Club at school, where the main focus was to discuss science projects and enter them into fairs. He guided me very well, especially for my first year, as I had no idea about the logistics of entering a fair. At one of those meetings, Mr. Rountree told my brother (who did a science project as well) and me about the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC), saying if we place high in the Science Congress, we’d get an invitation to this national Science competition in Washington DC. Out of 165,000 science fair entrants across the nation, 10,000 are invited to enter, and the top 40 compete in Washington, DC.

In March of 2005, I presented my work, using a poster format, in front of numerous judges at the Regional CWS Science Congress. My brother Sujay Tyle, a 7^th grader, and I were both awarded Highest Honors in the Junior Division, which includes grades 6-8. The judges selected me to represent the Central Western Section at the STANYS State Science Congress.

The CWS Science Congress gave out monetary awards, and many special awards from the military and companies around the country. A few of us in the Junior Division were invited to enter the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC), where the winner receives a $20,000 scholarship and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist”.

At the State Science Congress, I had to present symposium style in front of a panel of judges and audience members. At SUNY Old Westbury on June 4^th, I presented my work along with 10 other representatives from their respective Science Congresses across New York. At the awards ceremony, I found out I won 1^st place in the Junior Division, and that meant I had the best Junior Division science project in the state of New York!

For the DCYSC, we had to write four short essays. The goal of that competition is to find a great science communicator among fifth through eight graders. We would hear back from the DCYSC in September on our status. Out of all the people across the country who submit the forms, the top 400 semifinalists are announced, and then the top 40 finalists are announced. These students receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC and present at the National Academy of Sciences and participate in team-challenges based on the theme “Forces of Nature” for 2005.

In September, both my brother and I had gained semifinalist status in the DCYSC. Then, a few days later, I received a call from Discovery saying that I was a finalist in the 2005 competition. My mother and I would be traveling to Washington, DC for a week in October! The local Channel 8 TV in Rochester interviewed me on their morning show, and it was amazing to be on TV. The Democrat & Chronicle along with the Brighton-Pittsford Post also interviewed me for news articles.

October rolled around, and we traveled to Washington, DC. While at the DCYSC, they treated us like kings, and I met 39 of the brightest, most interesting middle schoolers across the country!

After presenting my project at the National Academy of Sciences to judges, the next two days were spent at Cole Field House in the University of Maryland. The 40 students were randomly divided up into 8 teams, each with 5 people. My Team Orange, like every other team, had to perform four tasks based on the theme “Forces of Nature”. We made a 40-foot tornado, created a tsunami in a wave tank, landed a blimp in fog, and disposed of hazardous waste material in a simulated disaster scene. TV cameras were constantly swarming around us, as this was an event that was to be broadcast on the Discovery Channel. Interviews were constantly being done, and I always had a microphone attached to me.

Sheel (center, back) with the DCYSC Orange Team

The DCYSC is the greatest thing that has happened to me so far. At the awards ceremony, although I wasn’t the grand prizewinner, I won the Discovery Kids TV Star Award, which was given to the finalist best able to communicate via the television and related media (I guess my interviews went pretty well!). I made many new friends and they elected me to be their spokesperson. This meant speaking in front of CEOs and TV stations at the awards ceremony at the end of the DCYSC competition.

What started in Pittsford Middle School as a science project in 2004-2005 turned out to be a whirlwind rollercoaster ride that took me to Long Island and Washington, DC. I am continuing my project with Dr. DiLoreto and am excited about entering the science fair this coming year. I highly encourage all Middle and High Schoolers in New York to participate in a science project, as it could turn out to be one of the most rewarding and fun experiences of their lifetime.