Friday, May 16, 2014

Hello Science Fair Friends, Sponsors, and Alumni,

After five days of non-stop work and play, it was to be expected that the whole CT crew would be a bit tired. This became apparent this morning as the majority of us overslept our alarms; turning our morning of dressing, last minute packing, and a final breakfast at our beloved Hotel Figueroa into a bit of a whirlwind. However, we knew we had to hurry in order to make it to the Grand Awards, the exhilarating and nerve-wracking climax of the week.

When we walked into the enormous presentation room for the last time, it was difficult to believe that our sensational week at ISEF was coming to a close.  Those feelings of nostalgia were pushed to the side for a few hours as we all took turns cheering each other on and crossing our fingers in hopes that some of our CT ladies would take home a top prize. Our wishes were granted when we received not just one, but two top prizes. Bridget received a second place award in her category, granting her an asteroid that she jokes she’ll name “French Toast” in memory of our favorite travel food. I also received fourth in my category, a welcome surprise. All in all, the CT delegation did not just take LA, we crushed it.

With a spring in our step, we took off for Hollywood. The ninety degree, sunny day was the perfect backdrop for our lovely walking tour of the famous theaters and Hollywood stars. Our tour guide and part time actor, Matt Crabtree, provided a witty and entertaining tour with his inside scoop on the business of Hollywood. We ended the trip with an excursion to the observatory and some pictures in front of the Hollywood sign. All of us tried to ignore the fact that everything was coming to an end.

The group consensus was that it would only be right to end our week with a trip to our favorite place, the “food pantry”. We finally achieved the perfect balance with this last meal by ordering only three french toast platters so we could finish our delish milkshakes without exploding. At the diner, we made plans for our reunions and shared our favorite memories despite the fact that we were all overwhelmed by the thought of going home. With some heavy hearts, we boarded our plane and are in the air. Connecticut, we’re coming home!

Megan Boyer

Senior, Manchester High School