 All right, is anyone ready? How was your afternoon? How was your morning with your judging? That didn't sound too good. Was it okay? Was it good? Was it great? Or was it amazing? Okay, I'm hoping for the amazing. That's what we strive for for you. Okay, so we're so excited to have you all here. I want you all to realize that we understand what you've gone through to get here. Some of you had an easier road to get here from your region to your regional fair into here. Some of you had to compete at a school or maybe even a classroom before you did the school. Then in a county, then a regional fair and then here. So I want every single student that's here to realize what you have accomplished. It's really amazing. And you should be extremely proud of yourself. And if you think about all the students all across North Carolina and you are the ones whose projects were selected to be good enough to come to the state competition. So right now I would like all students to stand up. I'm gonna steal some Gary Sunder. All right, all students stand up. Okay, so students, now that you just sat down, the reason that you're able to do this is because of the support of those around you. So you need to make sure you thank all those people that are responsible for getting you here. From parents, teachers, friends, advisors, mentors. And again, I'm stealing Gary's thunder and I need to, being told, get back on the script. So I'll do that. So be sure and thank those that have helped you along the way. So we have our virtual fair students also joining us in streaming. Remember, we had a virtual competition for judging on Wednesday that we had 54 projects that participated in that event. So welcome virtually to those families and students. I would like to give a special thanks to one of our longtime partners in North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. And especially to the individual in the back, Jeff Hatley. And he is providing the service that we have for our second year to be able to stream our award ceremonies. Now they will be posted on YouTube as individual award ceremonies later. And we will be putting those links on our website and also on stemwizard.com for you to be able to go to. So at our 36th North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair, we are excited that you are here. And we are thankful to be back at NC State University. We were here for two years before COVID hit. Then we were virtual for two years and we were back in person last year and then again this year. And it's so nice to be able to see students' faces instead of on a computer screen. Although virtual students, I enjoyed seeing you as well. Okay, I'm still gonna include you. But it's nice to be back in person. So right now, it's my pleasure to introduce you to Dr. Gary Kelly, who's our chairman of the North Carolina Science Fair Foundation's Board of Directors. And he has a few remarks to give if I haven't stolen all of them from him. Okay, Gary. Thank you, Judy. Good afternoon again. Okay, okay, I think I can hear y'all. I'm so very honored to be the chairman of the North Carolina Science Fair Foundation. We are the board of the nonprofit that supports the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair. We are also very proud to be the longtime state affiliate to both the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair for our Senior Division Grand Awards and for the second year, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Grand Awards. On behalf of our board, the Science and Engineering Fair Planning Committee and our many judges and volunteers and our devoted regional directors, we want to congratulate each and every one of you for being a regional winner and state finalists for your initiative to engage in science and or engineering research. Well done. We also want to applaud the amazing efforts of our over 170 judges and our over 125 volunteers who are so instrumental in making today happen. Please give them a round of applause. Before we recognize our award recipients, I just want to take the time to give a special shout out to some of our sponsors. Without them, this day cannot happen as well. For our Platinum sponsors, we want to give a shout out to the Burroughs Welcome Fund, the Good Night Educational Foundation, the North Carolina Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Center, our Gold Sponsors, RTI International, DLH, Pfizer, the Broadcom Foundation, North Carolina Central University, College of Health and Sciences, the Triangle University's Nuclear Laboratory, our Silver Sponsors, the Strategic Educational Alliances and our Bronze Sponsors, Roe, Red Hat, Smith & Stenet Architecture, Crea Therapeutics, Bolton & Mink. And also we want to recognize our NCSEF partners, the North Carolina State University, Meredith College, Strugridge Studios Incorporated and STEM Wizard. Please join me in again giving congratulations and thank you for those sponsors. All right. Now we're off to the fun part. Are you all ready? All right. Now it's my pleasure to present our emcee for the Junior Division Awards, Dr. Alonzo Alexander, who is of the Science House here at North Carolina State University. Alonzo? You've already had a million people say, you know, good afternoon to you guys, so I won't do that again. But I will say welcome right here to NC State. We got a lot going on today, so I appreciate you navigating all the things happening on campus today. Go pack, right? Yeah, go pack? Go pack, yeah? Okay, good. Welcome again to this 36th North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair. And for those who are watching via the live stream, it's my pleasure to extend a warm welcome to you as well. Each and every one of you, whether you are here in person in this room, right? Woo! You are watching online. Your presence here makes today a special day. Now, before we keep going, I wanna take a moment and express some gratitude to your parents. All right, give your parents a round of applause. So it's their support and encouragement that for many of you has been the cornerstone of your journey. Thank you, parents. Now, mentors, teachers, you've also helped tirelessly guide and inspire these students. You've shaped their work and owe you a real moment of gratitude as well, so please give your teachers and your mentors a round of applause. And of course, on behalf of the North Carolina Science Fair Foundation, I'd like to express special appreciation to Judy Day, who is, that's right, she's been the long-serving volunteer director of the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair. And boy, her leadership is greatly appreciated. And of course, the regional directors and all of the hundreds of judges and volunteers who work throughout the year to make this event happen. Thank you to all of them, and thank you to Judy for your 22 years of service, and in particular, on your recognition at the opening program earlier today. We know that the Judy Benton Day Award for Outstanding Service is going to keep your legacy of service vibrant in the coming years. Let me also thank Tom Williams, who has served with Judy this year as our co-director and has agreed to serve as the volunteer director effective July 1st. As many of us know, Tom has been active, right? And I wrote in my script, Tom, that might be an understatement, active. Wow, is there something more than active? Maybe I can just put very in front of it. He has been very active. With the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair over the past 16 years, so we wanna make sure we say thank you to Tom. Thank you. And then finally, let me recognize North Carolina State University for serving as the host site these past four years, and of course, for paying my bills. Thank you very much, NC State. Let's get to the part that you have been very patiently waiting for in these chairs, right? Now, students, you know, we'll recognize certain projects today, but by just having advanced to the state competition from your local and regional levels, you are all winners in the truest sense of the word. So give yourselves a round of applause for making it here today. And of course, if you're out there, members of families or friends or teachers, and you wanna shout out these students, feel free to go to our social media pages and give the students a shout out to let them know how proud you are of them and their accomplishments. So take a second, if you don't have it already, link up with us on social media. Okay, let's get started with the special category awards. First, the NC One Water Awards, and I'm gonna read off, oh, that's right. Please don't forget, after you've come across the stage, you'll enter from this side, and you've received your award. You will go right over here to take your photograph. Wait for him again, there we go. You'll go right there to take your picture. Very good. We wanna make sure that we're able to showcase you on the website. All right, we're gonna do the NC One Water Awards, starting with third place, Lucy Ernest and Genevieve Goff. Second prize, Rajoshi Roy Chowdhury and Nitya Yadlapali. And first prize, Rachel Joseph and Shragvi Bholam for our next award. The Association of Women in Science with the Carolina Chapter. We're going to have a guest come up and present the award to the students. Thank you very much. The winner of that award, Samaya Wagh. And now the Creating a Better World, Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines Award. That goes to Samira Chalama-Lasetti. Now for our next two awards, we're gonna do these together, the United States Air Force Award and the Office of Naval Research and Naval Science Award. We're going to have some guests come up and present those awards as well. First, the United States Air Force Award, Xander Snell and Matthew Hagler. And for our Office of Naval Research, Naval Science Award, Haley Silva and Hanley Pope. Our Lemelson Award, Early Inventor Prize. That award goes to Kyle Haynes. And now for our SMT Promising Young Researcher Award. The awards go to Peyton Williams, Jaylin Torrance and Lucy Ernest and Genevieve Goff. Next up, we have the Broadcom Foundation, Coding with Commitment Award. It goes to Sanvi Asaigali, RTI, Turning Knowledge and to Practice Award. Goes to Juliet Johnson, DOD, STEM Leadership Prize. Jeremiah Johnson and Gray Dalton. Don't worry, they won't take it without you. Next, we have the Association for Women Geoscientists Award for Excellence in Geosciences. Avika Dingra, let's give all of our special award winners a round of applause. Now we have our category awards. Starting with Biological Science A. We are a small group of much-quits that I appreciate it. Yes. Sorry to delay, you're just having a short time. No problem. So is this the time you start giving us the... Is that a little soft shoe up here? Yeah, I mean, I could, but you would not want to see that. So I understand that judging was very exciting today. Was anybody nervous? If you were nervous, yeah. You were nervous? Yes. What made you nervous? Stand up. What's your name? Yes. Everything. Everything. Are you nervous right now? But it's over now. Now you should just be relaxing. Like put your hands back, enjoy your success. All right, the awards, that's right. All right. Is that my or Ted McAllen? Is your family taking you to a celebratory dinner? What? What would you like to eat? You don't... Okay, I see you're very decisive. That's all right. Well, look, this is the time. If you're gonna negotiate for something, you wanna do it now. You know, Mom, I did pretty good today. I really like Culver's, you know, a Butterburger. I don't know what you like. Maybe you don't even eat it. I apologize if that's true. All right, you have a few folks coming back. So that must mean things are going better. There it is. See? We all work together here to do that. That's right. Did you tell them that these photographs have been posted on the website one last time? Yes, that's right. Just remember that... Exactly right. We wanna make sure we take good photos of these students because they will be posted on the website so they will live forever. And so... Not forever, but for you to be able to download. Well, okay, not forever. I'm sorry. For a while? For a year. Okay, we have a very finite timeline. Do not wait for March 25th, 2025. That photo will not be there. All right. We're good. All right, let's move into our category awards. We'll start with Biological Science A. We're gonna do the entire category. So feel free to hold your applause till the end. First, honorable mention. Nihala Chandolo, third place. Samira Chalamalasite, Seiti, second place. Bailey Heap, and first place. Rutwa Patil, onto Biological Science B. First, honorable mention. The team of Brooklyn Rust, Grace Edwards, and Annaly Rogers, third place. Aaron Lee, second place. Somayawag, third place in Biological Science B. Sambia Saigali, congratulations to all of our winners in Biological Science A&B. Give a round of applause. Moving on to chemistry. Honorable mention. The team of Dev Patel, Cheyong Lim, and Kailin Hennessey, Haley Silva, second place. Lillian Redwine, and first place. Laszlo Gossado Stern, now Mathematics, Statistics, and Data Science Honorable mention. Ishaan Sundaram, Juliana Haffert, second place. Garrett Chapman, shout out to Chloe over there, right? And first place, Statistics and Data Science winners, a round of applause. Moving on to physics. So, for those who don't know, physics is my area of research. So, I have a special place in my heart for the physics winners. They get the same prize as everyone else, but just know in my heart you are special. All right. I also wanna point out that we also, some of these people that are coming up are virtual students. Yeah, that's right. So, when you don't see a student, most likely it is because they are a virtual participant. So, hopefully, the folks watching in the live stream are congratulating those winners by the live stream who weren't able to join us here in person today. So, is that someone on the live stream giving you a call right now? All right. Moving on to physics, our honorable mention. Mia Mulan, second place. Ram Kuchakula, and first place in the physics division. Matthew Haegler, of our physics winners, another round of applause. Moving on to the engineering division. I mean, engineering's okay too, I guess. All right, honorable mention. Flynn Kornighe, on Viediga, second place. Kyle Haynes, how do you just happen to be, have the same last thing in the school? Yeah, that's weird. All right, I like it. And first place, Laila Boskert, you're holding up the show, Laila, let's go. You stop that. All right, let those students mind you guys. Okay, let's give all of the engineering award winners another round of applause. Now for technology, honorable mention. Kaylee Robinson, Lexi Sponakey, second place. Diana Zabatskaya, and first place in technology. Yash Mehta, let's give all of our technology winners another round of applause. And to our final set of category awards, Earth and Environmental Science. Honorable mention, Chase Tomola, second place. Reva Kare, and first place, the team of Rachel Joseph and Shughe Bolam. Bring your shoes with you, bring your shoes. Now let's give our Earth and Environmental Science winners a round of applause. And a round of applause for all of our category award winners. We got the grand awards coming up, but not just yet, because before we get to the grand awards, we're gonna draw for the winners of the STEM Passport. All right, so thank you to our exhibitors for supporting these prizes. Our first drawing is for two cash awards, $25 each. First winner, to name I've already said today. What's that? What's your name? Flynn Courtney. Oh my gosh, this is also a name I've already said today. Yash Mehta. Now, we are also giving away a scholarship to a North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics online summer accelerator course. Oh, there's two. Oh, my script only had one in it. Exciting. All right, this is a new name for me. Kaylin LaRoy, and our second winner of the summer accelerator course, Jackson Ward. And so for those winners of the summer accelerator program, we'll send an email to your families to set up the contact with North Carolina School of Science and Math. Congratulations again to our Passport winners. So now that we've had that little break, let's get to the grand division awards. The Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge. These awards go to the top 16 projects selected as the first and second place winners from each of the eight categories. These projects will be nominated to advance to the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge to be held in October and in Washington, D.C. Oh, I'm just reading what they start. All right, let me correct this a little bit. You might guess. So you don't automatically go to Washington, D.C. Let me clarify this. In a set or receiving this nomination, have to complete the package. And it's a pre-throw package that you have to work on. And it is your responsibility to do this. You can keep in touch with us and ask us questions. We can work happy to help you. But once you complete the package and send it in, I think you get a T-shirt just for completing the package. They look at all the candidates that have completed the nomination package from all across the country and narrow it down to 300 semifinalists. Then they look at those 300 semifinalists and select 30 finalists. And those 30 finalists will go to Washington, D.C. with all expenses paid with a chaperone for one week. You'll have tours around the back by the same tours as the Smithsonian. You do science and engineering challenges. You get to meet Nobel laureates. You present your research projects and you win all kinds of awards. North Carolina routinely has a couple of students that are at that top 300 from all across the country. And one year we had four of the 30 were from North Carolina that were the finalists. So spend some time working on that nomination package because that's what they will be reviewing to select the semifinalist and finalist, okay? Make sure you get it in on time. If you have questions, contact us. We'll be happy to help you anyway we can, all right? But it is not an automatic ticket. I want to make sure I clarify that one. Okay, I'm gonna pass it back over. Thank you very much, Judy. All right. So now it's time for the grand awards. Everybody got quiet because, you know, these are the big ones, right? My hand's a little shaky here at the keyboard. All right. Will you take a break? You guys need to do, no? No? You want to know the winners? That's fine. Are you sure you want to know the winner? I'm gonna announce all of them. When you hear your name, come on up here, okay? Do not wait, come on up here if you hear your name. Rutwa Patil, Sambi Asaitili, Samaya Wah, Laszlo Ghazal-Stern, Lillian Redwine, Rachel Joseph, and Sravyi Bullam, Riva Kair, Lilla Baskert, Ains, Andrew Nguyen, Garrett Chapman, Matthew Haigler, Ram Kuchikula, Yash Mehta, and Diana. Do you want to take it out here, right? Okay. Go get a group photo, they're gonna go take a group photo together. All right. Congratulations. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Congratulations. So of course, make sure to stay connected with us to stay up to date with all the future events. Wow, that's a lot of winners, right? Can you give them another round of applause? That's amazing. I just wanna say thank you so much for allowing me to spend the afternoon with you. It is always a fun time for me. I wish I had more time to spend with you all. But together, as a group, I hope that students in particular, you'll use today as an opportunity to reflect on your achievements, acknowledge the challenges that you overcame to get here today, and anticipate the possibilities that lie ahead of you as you do more events just like this one. Good luck, students. Good luck. So, at this time, I'd like to invite the co-director, Dr. Tom Williams, to come forward and make the final closing remarks. Tom? Thank you, Dr. Alexander, and once again, congratulations to each and every one of the students who advance to the state competition year. Keep up the great work, keep moving forward. We need you more than ever to continue to grow and improve and learn and give back to your community as you already have been doing. I wanna thank a shout out to Jeff Hatley and NCSSM for doing our live stream. I wanna thank NC State University for once again hosting us today. And let's give all of our stage guests here today who are handling awards a well-deserved round of applause. Students, final reminder, if you've not already picked up your poster board at Kate's in the Carmichael Gymnasium, please make sure you pick it up before five o'clock. And we wish each of you a safe journey back home today, and we'll look forward to seeing you in your local, your regional, and at the state science fair next year. Thank you all very much.