Top 5 "Do Not"s

5. Use speech fillers such as "Like" or "Um"
4. Twirl your hair
3. Dress overly girly or feminine
2. Forget to smile
1. Give in to stereotypes or peer pressure

What NOT to Wear

Short Skirt - i.e. above the knee
High Heels - more than two inches
Tank Tops
Midriff Revealing Anything
Low-Rise Jeans
Anything Trendy - i.e. belongs on the cover of Seventeen Magazine

What TO Wear

IRONED Clothes - wrinkles just send the wrong message
Professional Clothes
Comfortable Shoes
Confident Attitude
A Smile!

Girls Only

Let's be completely honest: science fairs can be tougher for girls. It is the twenty-first century, but unfortunately the stereotype that science and technology is a "boy's thing" still exists.

This mindset can be both an asset and a challenge. There are many opportunities for women in science and technology because we are still considered a minority. Special clubs, scholarships, and awards are available just for you! People who mistakenly believe that this is really a "boy's thing" can really be wowed by your project, or they can be overly critical. It's not right, it's not fair, but as a girl you really need to work just as hard as, if not harder than, your male classmates.

I know just how tough it can be; I chose to pursue a male dominated field. My freshman engineering classes had a 3 to 50, girl to guy ratio. At my first internship, I was the only female in the entire department.

Speech

Beware speech fillers such as "Like" and "Um". Many of us are are guilty of this during every day conversations. When you only have five minutes to impress the judges, every "Like" or "Um" can be a strike against you. Fillers make you sound unprepared. This is where practicing your speech repeatedly will pay off.

How you act is as important as what you say. It is natural to be nervous, but don't reveal it to the judges. Do not fidget, twirl your hair, or play with your clothes. You did an amazing job on your project, and you do not want to distract the judges from it! Be sure to smile! Be professional, be confident, but be you!

Dress

Put some thought into how you dress. Balance is the key. You are a girl, and you do not need to hide that! Likewise, you shouldn't play up the girl factor. Too often, I've seen girls who have dressed VERY girly, hoping it would give them an edge. Wouldn't you rather win for your project?

Short skirts are a definite NO. Hopefully, you will be going on stage to accept your award, and skirts look at least five inches shorter on stage! Similarly, no tank tops or low-riding jeans. If you wouldn't wear it to school or out with your family, don't wear it here. I recommend dress pants. They are conservative and comfortable. Paired with a nice blouse or polo shirt, you will look great. If you choose to wear a button down shirt, I would recommend a color other than white. A pale blue or purple would be nice; conservative but still girly.

When it comes to shoes, remember you need to be comfortable. You never know how far you will have to walk to your display table, or stand by it. A short heel can be nice, but stay away from really high heels!