I Can't Believe I Won the Whole Thing!

It's early morning on my last day Sunday at CWSF 2010 and I am preparing for my bus ride back home to Hamilton and Dundas.  I've had a day to digest what has happened over the past 24 hours or so and have been composing it on my laptop before I finally post it to print.

Just like the saying of unbelievability, "I can't believe the I ate the whole thing", my feelings of disbelief still flow in my head that "I Can't Believe I Won the Whole Thing".  Well actually, it's not the real whole thing but at least the Junior Engineering side of things but it sure feels like the whole thing.  I guess I have something to shoot for in the future.  I honestly did not believe at the Awards Ceremony that I had a chance to win anything.  My Dad had told me before the trip that it was the experience that I should enjoy because it was really going to be difficult to expect to win any of the prizes.  Learning to present and to talk confidently to so many people of all ages was going to be my goal.  As the afternoon wore on, I was just hopeful that I may get an Honourable Mention Award.  After not hearing my name at that stage, I became disappointed but I held a brave face and resolved myself to enjoying the rest of the experience ... as my Dad had instructed me to. I saw the Bronze and then the Silver medalists climb the podium and I wished I was one of them.  Then I heard my name as the GOLD Medalist and I was in complete shock but I felt so happy.  I could not stop grinning.  It was so fantastic ... it must be what an Olympic Medalist must feel like especially when he did not expect to win.  WOW WHAT A FEELING!

THANK YOU ... THANK YOU .... THANK YOU ... THANK YOU ... THANK YOU ... THANK YOU

I want to thank my teacher Mrs. Meville-Cryer and my Prinicpal Mrs.Mary J Rossi back at my school, Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary for being so accommodating in my missed days of schools down the stretch of my preparations.  And also thanks to the Parent Council who gave me some money to help defray some of the costs of the preparations.  I want to thank my Uncle Morgan who helped me produce my backboard display ... it is so professionally and attractively done and I had so many compliments on my presentation.  I am sure I maxed how on my allowable points on this aspect of the judging.  I want to thank the BASEF organization for running their fairs that gave me the opportunity to gain the experience to succeed at CWSF.  Also my home school board who ran their fairs, this was my third HWCDSB Science Fair.  I want to thank the rest of my 2010 Team BASEF members, they have been so supportive and they made my week away from home so comfortable and enjoyable.  I also would like to thank the CWSF organization in Peterborough for putting on such a good show ... they did everything that made the experience exactly how my sister (in Truro 2007) and my brother (in Ottawa 2008) had described it.

Now I would like to thank the BASEF organization for keeping the standards high and giving chances for kids like me to go through such a wonderful experience.  Thank you to my chaperones Tom Crawford, George Gzecy and Jim Casey for looking after us and coaching us.  And oh yes, I cannot forget Roslynne ... she was and is my personal chaperone.  My Mom would have been proud of how she looked after me.  Thank you Roslynne!  I won't forget you and I hope to come back for more BASEF and CWSF fairs to see you again.

Lastly, I would like to thank my parents and family and although it hurts me to say this a little, I actually missed them being away and I am so glad also that I am going home.  My brothers and sister were always their to assist in explaining things that they knew but I did n't.  My Grammie and Grampie always show such interest in whatever I do ... I think they would be equally as pleased and excited had I won a pie making contest.  My Mom is the eternal optimist and keeps encouraging me that I'll get it when I really didn't.  My Dad on the other hand is the complete opposite.  He keeps telling me that I will only get it if I keep working on it.  I understand now know what it takes to achieve higher successes.  All those questions and explanations on the rides to school ... I get it.  All the new program introductions to do something that seem so small ... I get it.  All the reviewing of my project before bedtime when I really didn't want to ... I get it.  All the refusing of giving me a break when I wanted one ... I get it.  Thanks Dad for being a great coach.

And thanks to all of you who have been following me on this journey.  It's kind of neat being able to write about it as it goes.  Thanks to my Dad for introducing me to the concept of blogs.  I don't know if I will keep writing but we'll see ....