Ying Tri Region Science & Engineering Fair

Advancement Awards

Ying TRSEF advances one project to the Intel ISEF, three environmental science projects to the Science Olympiads, one to the Ying Scholar Finals, one project to the NYS Water Federation’s competition, and 10% of its 6th-8th graders to the Broadcom Masters.

Fair Awards at Ying TRSEF partner fairs

One third to one half of the science fair projects will receive Honors. Three levels of Honors awards are given to Research / Engineering Design (R/ED) Students based on the criteria below.

• Honors: The student has made an above-average effort in demonstrating a scientific principle.
• High Honors: The student shows a good understanding of scientific methodologies. The exhibit, oral presentation and research paper show well-above-average effort, attention to detail, and level of interest.
• Highest Honors: The student shows a clear, in-depth understanding of scientific methodologies. The exhibit, oral presentation and research paper show superior effort, attention to detail, and level of interest.
• Broadcom Masters: The top 10% of RED projects at the Junior Level will be advanced to the national Broadcom Masters.
• Grand Awards: Senior Level RED student(s) with the top-ranked project will represent our fair as Finalists at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (IISEF) in May. The Ying TRSEF covers all student expenses for the six-day trip. (Note: Both AP and IB exams are offered on site for the IISEF finalists.)

For Topic Presenters, awards include Topic Honors for roughly one third of the students, and one Highest Honors award.

Ying TRSEF Special Awards (watch for updates)

• County Science Champions: We award $100 to the student who scores highest in first-round judging from each county. We need more $100 sponsors so every county can have its own champion; please consider a sponsorship. (Ying Scholars and IISEF Finalists are not eligible for this award.)
• Hemphill Dedication Award: The Dr. Ernest & Bobbie Hemphill Dedication Award honors their commitment to the Ying TRSEF by commending exemplary educators or fair directors.
• Alcock Founders Award: The Bobbi Alcock Founders Award honors chemist Bobbi Alcock, co-founder of the Ying TRSEF, by commending the outstanding Chemistry project in our fair.
• Hancox Memorial Award: The Selby Hancox Memorial Award for Independent Technical Achievement highlights technical creativity in the development of a distinctly different procedure or the design and construction of a unique apparatus by the student.
• Helmer Volunteers’ Award: The Jane and Barbara Helmer Volunteers’ Award honors the Helmers’ role as key volunteers by commending a “young person who has real potential.”
• “Make a Difference” Award: The Fricis and Emma Ernstsons Award commends a student whose research could “change the world for the better.” (Ms. Ernstsons was a school teacher who fled from Latvia with her photographer husband, arriving as a refugee in the US via England after World War II.)
• Wood Mathematics Award: The M.E. Wood and Associates Mathematics Award recognizes excellent use of mathematics, i.e., the student UNDERSTANDS the mathematics s/he used in the research process and analysis of results.

Intel ISEF Awards Provided to the Ying TRSEF

Every fair affiliated with IISEF receives a package of awards. In 2019 these included:

• American Meteorological Society
• American Psychological Association
• ASM International Foundation
• Association for Women Geoscientists
• Intel Excellence in Computer Science
• Intel Science Talent SearchSpecial Judging Master Sheets_2019_all fairs
• Mu Alpha Theta
• NASA
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Office of Naval Research (US Navy and US Marine Corps)
• Ricoh Americas Corporation
• Society for In Vitro Biology
• Stockholm Junior Water Prize
• United States Air Force
• United State Army
• United States Metric Association
• United States Public Health
• Yale Science and Engineering Association

Remember that every student receives the most important award, an amazing day in which you share your own work with knowledgeable and sincerely interested adults who look forward to interviewing you!

Are you the Special Awards chair or Director of an affiliated fair? Here is the Special Awards Package produced by TerraFairs.org for use by their fairs. It must be updated each year to accommodate changes in the package from SSP, and a number of these are awards specific to our network, but it gives you a template that simplifies judge training and awards processing. PDF