Breakfast at the hotel wasn't served until 7 am, which -- unfortunately -- was too late, so we pulled ourselves together and were seated at the Bob Evans shortly after 6:30 am.
Needless to say, Arianna, was not yet her cheerful self . . .
After a rousing, down-home breakfast, we hit the road for Champaign. Last night's rains hadn't completely blown out of southern Illinois, but the drive saw intermittent sunshine. The pasture lands we drove through were as green as any field in Ireland.
Never having been to Champaign or U of I, I imagined the town would be similar to either Ann Arbor or East Lansing. From what I saw, Champaign is more akin to East Lansing. U of I seemed predominantly centrally located. Finding Assembly Hall might have been easy without a GPS, but trips into unknown environs are considerably less stressful knowing that even if I make a wrong turn "Ken" will see us to our destination.
Assembly Hall . . . the college building from outer space . . .
With thousands of kids from across the Illinois, the State Science Exposition is considerably larger than regional competition. Although the number of participants at Northern Illinois in DeKalb were impressive, Champaign is overwhelming. But, after a few minutes of getting our bearings and with help from an aid we were able to locate where Arianna had to setup her presentation.
Assembly Hall . . . main floor . . . where the Behavioral Sciences presentations were judged.
Arianna all setup and ready to . . . wait!
Like in DeKalb, parents were asked to leave the main judging area. Since Sharon had volunteered to be a judge, this meant I was alone for the remainder of the morning. I found a seat that gave me a view of Arianna -- albeit at a distance -- but I wasn't sure whether she knew where I was in the crowd . . . wasn't sure whether she really cared, given her focus.
While perched above the main floor, I noticed a line of parents ushering their children to a billboard in front of which they were photographed. Naturally, I wanted a similar photo of my daughter. When the line diminished I walked down to the main floor and got hold of Arianna.
Back in my seat, I read, took photos, watched, waited. It was a dull morning. But, I can't imagine it was any different for the majority of kids competing today.
Arianna chatting with her neighbor . . .
Waiting . . . wondering what's next . . . if anything . . .
The ambiance of the fair, the continuous white noise of chatter was ever present throughout the morning.
Unlike in DeKalb, where Arianna was one of the last entries to be judged, today she was one of the first. This didn't make the morning's wait any less, but at least she was able to present and relax.
Two judges listen to Arianna's presentation, review her board, and quiz her.
Is Arianna looking at me?
After the Arianna's project was judged she still remained near her presentation, chatting with some of the other kids.
It would be several hours before Arianna found her way to where I was siting to ask for a bottle of water. Shortly afterward, Sharon, done with her judging assignment, sought out her daughter. The morning's activities were at an end.
We located a Thai restaurant and enjoyed a hearty lunch. The day seemed to be catching up with Arianna, who, although interested in reviewing some of the other projects on display, preferred not to wait to learn the outcome of judging. Her sponsor, Mrs. R., who instructs her in science at St. Catherine of Siena, would communicate the outcome of the fair.
The judge and the contestant . . .
Quiet descended on the car shortly after we got underway. Both Arianna and Sharon napped. It was an enjoyable experience, one, I'm privileged to have had the opportunity to take part in. Perhaps Arianna will advance to state competition next year too. We'll have to wait and see.
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