Coraor Feted in Washington, DC with Intel Finalists
Huntington senior Juliana Coraor was in rarefied company as America's top high school scientists gathered in Washington, DC for the culmination of the 2012 Intel Science Talent Search. The group of 40 outstanding young minds met President Barack Obama among an assortment of exciting activities.
Ms. Coraor is only the second Huntington High School student and the first since 1950 to reach the Intel competition finals. Her trip to the nation's capital included personal interviews and question sessions concerning general science knowledge with a panel of judges. The finalists also participated in a poster presentation session with the judges and with the general public.
"What was most enjoyable about the experience was the fact that I was able to meet 39 amazing students who did everything from play the ukulele to perform magic tricks as a professional magician," Ms. Coraor said. "The activities were incredible, as well. We met the President of the United States, had white and milk chocolate fondue fountains for dessert, went for a scavenger hunt in the Smithsonian and had asteroids named after each of us." The Huntington Class of 2012 valedictorian's asteroid is named "JulimaCoraor."
The final event consisted of a formal gala during which the elite teenagers presented their research to leading scientists and were awarded finalist medals. Ms. Coraor conducted her impressive research in a Stony Brook University lab.
During the gala, Intel officials announced the top ten honorees in the 2012 competition, who shared hundreds of thousands of dollars in awards. "Although I was not one of them, the rest of the experience more than made up for that fact," Ms. Coraor said. "I'm really proud that I had the opportunity to be a finalist."