A group of academically passionate and driven SHS students, led by president Brooke Rohner, 11, have launched Sycamore’s science fair—a long-awaited revival of a beloved event. The science fair will be held on April 4 and will take place in the SHS Hub.
Motivated by her love for science, Rohner saw a gap in the SHS scientific community. “I did not understand why we didn’t have an event that brings the district together to celebrate STEM,” she explained. Rohner’s vision extends beyond the high school. “If younger students could see the incredible projects that older kids at the fair make, they will be inspired to pursue science,” she said.
Behind the curtain, a large and dedicated team of students has been working for months to turn this goal into a reality. Adrianna Bzhikyan, 11, a project coordinator, plays a key part in tracking submissions and writing blurbs about each project. “Our meetings consist of planning the specifics of the event,” Bzhikyan said. For her, the biggest reward has been watching the fair progress from an idea to a full-scale production of student brilliance. “I get to see the whole operation—how it started and how it’ll turn out,” she said.
This project has not been without hurdles. One challenge was securing people to act as the project judges, Bzhikyan noted. Rohner added that managing small details, especially without a previous blueprint to follow, has been a tough aspect. “Since this is our first year, we don’t have the preparation that other events tend to have built in,” she described.
This team has been successful largely due to its flexible structure. Instead of assigning specific tasks, Rohner allows members to “do what they think needs to be done, so the committee can contribute a variety of ideas and maintain their motivation.” Each week, the team meets to share updates, solve problems, and plan the logistics of this event—all from scratch and all to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Eleanor Hardy, 11, a member of the social media team, has contributed significantly to the promotion of the event. Managing the Instagram page, her role has been crucial in building anticipation for the big day. “It’s been really exciting seeing the project come to life,” Hardy said. “Seeing more people sign up motivates me to work harder.”
As April 4 approaches, the teams hope to leave a lasting impact on the school legacy grows. Rohner emphasized that even inspiring just one student would make all the effort worthwhile. “I would feel complete if at least one student felt that they have a greater love for science after participating,” she said.
With strong student interest and a committed team, this year’s event is the beginning of something bigger.