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Since YSC I have continued to be very active in science and have participated in many science fair competitions, winning trips and even having my research published internationally. I was the grand prize winner at the Frederick County (MD) Science and Engineering Fair in both seventh and eighth grades. In ninth grade, I captured the Maryland Stockholm Junior Water Prize and was awarded a trip to Denver, Colorado, to compete in the United States Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition. My latest science project is entitled Determination of Concentrations of Estrogenic Compounds, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Potassium in Dairy Waste Lagoon Effluent: Potential for Environmental Effects. I was awarded the following awards at the INTEL Frederick County Science and Engineering Fair:
- United States Army Award for Outstanding Science Project (bronze medallion)
- United States Navy/Marine Corps, The Office of Naval Research Naval Science Award (Educational Recognition Award)
- United States Stockholm Junior Water Prize, Water Environment Federation (advanced to nationals in Portland, Oregon)
- Dr. Raymond D. Ediger Award for Excellence in Agricultural Science
I have also been asked to present my research to the Western Maryland Veterinarian Association’s Conference.
I enjoy showing my registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss dairy cows at competitive regional, state, and national shows. I am also very active in the National Holstein Association and Brown Swiss Association as well as our 4-H Club and Catholic Church. I love to play golf and am a member of my high school’s varsity golf team. Furthermore, I enjoy working on the family farm, Brook-Lodge Farms, and simply playing videogames, pool, and table tennis with friends.
The YSC has greatly affected me, as it introduced me to the boundless possibilities of science. More importantly, YSC was a way to express myself in a positive manner, and it provided guidance and direction in becoming more successful in future endeavors. It also encouraged me to have greater participation in activities at school, in my community, and in science research. YSC is an excellent program that allows young people to express their ideas and passions in the fields of science and opens doors to internship programs, research in accredited laboratories, and even college admission to top-ranked universities.
My ultimate goal is to become an award-winning scientist and win the Nobel Prize. I would like to major in engineering and physics at MIT and then pursue graduate school at Harvard or perhaps Yale University. My interest in attending MIT was sparked by Dr. Grant Stokes, Associate Head, Aerospace Division and Manager, LINEAR Program at Lincoln Laboratory, who was directly involved with the YSC. I do not plan to move away from farming by advancing into the technological world, but to come closer to it by developing more efficient and profitable ways for farmers to successfully accomplish their jobs. With the growing economy and population size, I feel that it is necessary to develop new technologies to aid farmers in their ever-challenging task of feeding the world. I would also like to continue farming and owning registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss at Brook-Lodge Farms in hopes of one day breeding an All-American. No matter what I do, I know it will be something in the field of science.
My favorite memory of YSC has to be all of the challenges! Sure, the dance and other fun activities were great, but nothing can beat going deep into the Smithsonian and looking at a 3,000-year-old mummified bull or over 600,000 species of birds, including an emperor penguin and an albatross! Truly, the adventures of the challenges were the greatest fun that I had ever experienced.
I became interested in science at a very young age. While my parents greatly encouraged me to pursue these interests, Bill Nye, the Science Guy, was my idol. As a small child, I watched his educational shows and was mesmerized. Science quickly became a large part of my life as I emulated many of the experiments shown on Bill Nye’s show.
I am just as interested in science now, if not more. There are many new discoveries to find and fields to conquer as the science world continues to grow. While I have become quite diversified, playing golf and working on my farm, science remains the main motivating focus point in my life.
When I was in the YSC, my science hero was Einstein. I had seen myself most similar to him and was interested in much of his work. He was the father to modern physics and a huge part of my life as I first entered the field of physics and energy conservation. Bill Nye, the Science Guy, also played a major role in my life at a very young age. He was able to fascinate and amaze children through science, demonstrating how science affects every aspect of our lives. There are many other role models that have made major contributions to the field of science that I also admire and respect.
For someone hoping to compete in the YSC, I would tell them to try their very best and don’t become discouraged. It is an experience that you will never forget, and you should take full advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Be creative, dynamic, and show a strong passion towards science. One of the key ingredients is to be confident, professional, and knowledgeable about your project and its subject matter more than anyone else. But most importantly, have FUN! My best advice I can offer to you is to continually strive for perfection, and your hard work will pay off in the end. Remember: you are the future scientists of the world!
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Age: 16
Hometown: Middletown, Maryland
School: Middletown High School
YSC Class: 2001
Jarrett won the Discovery Channel Enthusiasm for Discovery Award in the 2001 YSC His dream science trip took him to Mammoth Hot Springs, South Dakota, to participate in an archaeological excavation.
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