Chapter 1: The Science Fair Experience

In the 1970s, my entire elementary school eagerly participated in the yearly Science Fair. Each class dedicated daily sessions to research and preparation for this event.

As students, we would visit the local Maytag Appliance store to request discarded boxes, which we would cut up to create a tri-fold display board. (Today, you can easily find ready-made poster boards at any dollar store.) We would paint these boards and trim them with colorful corrugated cardboard to make them visually appealing.

One year, I collaborated with my friend Debbie to explore the theme of “teeth.” We even visited a dental office to borrow an old set of dentures as our display item.

Another time, I partnered with my friend Deedee to investigate “mold.” We cultivated our own mold in Petri dishes and demonstrated how varying temperatures influenced mold growth on bread.

However, my favorite subject was “the eye.” Teaming up with my friend Penny, we crafted captivating artwork illustrating the cross-sections of an eyeball to explain how vision functioned. Despite our impressive display, we were determined to secure the highly sought-after first place trophy, so we needed an extraordinary prop to stand out.

Then, on an unforgettable weekend, while biking along the roadside, we stumbled upon a morbid discovery: a dead cat lying in the ditch. Although it was a sad sight for two young girls, our attention was quickly drawn to its bulging eye. The eye appeared to dangle on a string—possibly a muscle or maybe even the optic nerve. We didn’t bother to learn the proper terminology; we simply wanted to detach it.

I regretted that my brother, who always carried a Swiss Army Knife, wasn’t with us that day. We searched the area and found a stick, using it to poke at the eye in an attempt to free it. Unfortunately, the stick was ineffective.

Next, we tried a rock, but that failed too.

We even attempted to use my bicycle kickstand to pry the eye away from the cat, but instead, we inadvertently ran over the poor creature with our tires.

After sweating profusely in our efforts, we exchanged puzzled looks and asked ourselves, “What are we doing?!”

With squeals of realization, we hopped back on our bikes and pedaled away as fast as we could, leaving the grim scene behind us.

Had we not come to our senses and left the deceased cat undisturbed, we might have walked away with the first place trophy instead of merely a third place ribbon.

This video titled "How to Find the Science Trophy Miles and Phin Won Together" explores the whimsical adventures of childhood science projects, much like our own.

Section 1.1: Key Takeaways from the Science Fair

The Science Fair was not just an academic endeavor; it was a rite of passage filled with creativity, collaboration, and, at times, questionable judgment.

Subsection 1.1.1: The Importance of Teamwork

Chapter 2: Reflections on Childhood Curiosity

The events of that day serve as a humorous reminder of the lengths we would go to in pursuit of knowledge and recognition, often leading us to unexpected—and sometimes bizarre—places.