Back in March, hundreds of inquisitive young minds from across New Mexico gathered for the multi-day Central NM STEM Research Challenge. The participants, which included elementary, middle and high school students, got to show off a STEM-based project they spent months researching. Their tireless efforts poured into small booths filled with tri-folded poster boards displaying their ideas, processes and insights. Rows and rows of projects sparkled, buzzed and glowed across the room as dozens of volunteer judges evaluated them. The stakes? Recognition of a job well done, along with cash prizes, summer camp vouchers and other generous awards donated by sponsors. No matter the outcome, the event left an indelible mark on not just the young participants, but also on Meghan Davis, a Special Awards Judge at the event and talented Intern Architect with FBT.

It didn’t take much motivation or convincing for Meghan to agree to be a judge for the event. She jokes, “Not only do I adore brilliant young minds, but I spend every day with 500 burly, beasty men at a jobsite. A little change in routine was quite welcome.” Despite her eager willingness to participate, she walked into the STEM Research Challenge with the impression it would be a fun change of scenery and an opportunity to give back. Little did she know she would leave with a renewed sense of inspiration, hope and curiosity sparked by these passionate students.

The projects fell into various categories—from physics to chemistry to the environmental. Some projects focused on community-driven goals like saving our planet, while others were more personal. Meghan reflects, “My favorites were the kids who worked from the heart. Some projects focused on, ‘I’m a horrible baker… Maybe if I am a better baker, I can make my friends cupcakes for their birthdays!’.” Others were inspired by curiosity alone. One student wondered what would happen to the climate if the Earth was shaped like a cube instead of a sphere. As part of his research, he reached out to local meteorologists, spurring a little jolt of imagination into the city’s seasoned professionals.

As a Special Awards Judge, Meghan perused the projects, developed a list of questions for the young scientists and interacted with them throughout the day. She asked questions like, “What surprised you along the way? How would you elaborate on your experiment? How did you go the extra mile?”. The process allowed her to form meaningful connections with each student, share stories and laughs and learn from them.

The award recipients were selected based on the creativity of their process, not the validity of their hypothesis. For example, one of the winners explored different types of run-off and prevention methods. The gusto she employed throughout all phases of discovery is what made her project stand out. “She was unhappy with the watering can method, so she took a Camelback, cut the valve and assembled a rack. This allowed her to control the velocity and output of the water to more accurately represent rainfall.” Another winner was inspired by the considerably mundane act of washing chicken meat before cooking. Through his process, he engaged a scientist at the University of New Mexico and placed chickens from three different stores in an incubator, into a petri dish and under the microscope. “His love for learning and exploring was admirable and inspiring,” says Meghan.

Perhaps the most important lesson learned is there is no wrong answer. Even if we see something as a personal failure, it actually brings us one step closer to finding success. After the judging day came to a close, an awards ceremony was held for the students, judges, and sponsors (including FBT). During the ceremony, the speaker emphasized the importance of falling forward. “We all fail—it is inevitable. The importance lies in what we learn along the way and how that failure moves us closer to our overall goal of success.” This was an important reminder for all in the room, not just the students, and the impact was palpable. The experience served as encouragement to keep learning, keep exploring and keep falling forward.

Reflecting on the experience, Meghan expressed, “Saying it was an honor feels like a gross understatement. I went to gift some brilliant minds some money, but I was gifted a rejuvenated zeal for life’s curiosities. Kids are pretty dang cool.” This opportunity had a ripple effect in Meghan’s life, as she has found ways to continue engaging with and supporting children in the STEM community. She decided to begin volunteering with R4 Creating, a non-profit organization that encourages STEM learning and boosting a never-ending supply of creative inspiration and support.

Here’s to the relentless pursuit of discovery, growth and curiosity!