The student: Stephanie Rodis, 14

School: Patapsco Middle

Special achievement: Won a "Blue Ribbon of Excellence" among middle-schoolers participating in the Howard County Math, Science and Technology Fair in March.

What was her winning project? "I did it on how body type affects balance. I had 11 subjects and I picked 10 positions that require balance." She took measurements of each subject and timed them as they stood in those positions. "I thought that body type would affect balance, but I didn't find any correlation." She did discover that female subjects had better balance.

How she came up with the idea: Her science teacher helped her come up with a dance-related experiment. A dancer since age 4, she studies at Lisbon Elementary School through the Western Howard County PTA system and at Kinetics Dance Studio in Ellicott City.

What the fair was like: "All the parents had to leave. Three judges came to your station, one at a time. They asked you questions and judged your project. That was a little nerve-wracking."