A student with West Central Valley High School will get a chance to travel across the country to be an observer at a prestigious event. 

Taylor Ommen’s project was named the top 9th grade science project at the Iowa State Science Fair which was called “A Comparison of Decomposition Rates in Soils Based in Fertilizer Practices and Crops.” This award will allow her to attend the 2022 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair as an observer in Atlanta, Georgia. Ommen says she spent roughly seven months working on her project and discusses the fulfillment it has brought. 

“It means a lot. It is a big achievement on my part and I’m so, so excited to see what happens. I’ve never been to an international science fair, even though, like my grandpa started the state science fair up in Ames and it’s so cool that I get to continue that like, I don’t know, it’s like a family thing.”

She says she is most excited about meeting new people from different cultures and backgrounds since there will be over 70 countries and territories attending the  event. 

“ I look forward to talking to some of those people. I like to see what resources they can get a hold of and their part of the country and some of the things that we can’t do here?”

Ommen tells Raccoon Valley Radio she will get to attend an Atlanta Braves baseball game and tour the Mercedes Benz Stadium and much more as a part of the experience. The International and Engineering Science Fair will take place from May 7-13th at the Georgia World Congress Center.