Alumni of SSP Programs Attend the First White House Science Fair

From right, SSP President Elizabeth Marincola, Debenedictis, Rajen, Delgato, Jackson, Chyao, and Rumker.

Eight Society for Science & the Public (SSP) science fair alumni attended the first ever White House Science Fair on October 18, 2010 where President Obama honored winners of the nation’s top science competitions and viewed their award-winning projects.

Eight of the participants were in at least one of SSP’s prestigious science education programs: the Intel Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair, or the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (1999-2007).

The SSP alumni invited to participate were Betlihem Ayalew, 16, of Washington, DC; Amy Chyao, 16, of Richardson, Texas; Erika DeBenedictis, 18, of Albuquerque, N.M.; Eric Delgado, 20, of Bayonne, N.J.; Courtney Jackson, 17, of Cloquet, Minn.; Raina Jain, 16, of Bethlehem, Penn., Nicholas Rajen, 17, of Albuquerque, N.M.; and Laurie Rumker, 17, of Portland, Ore. All are current high school students except DeBenedictis, who is now a freshman at the California Institute of Technology, and Delgado, who is now a junior at Yale University.

Debenedictis with President Obama, credit: White House

• Read the Press Release
• See more coverage of this event:
  • Teen scientist from Richardson to visit White House today, Dallas News
  • Cloquet high schooler set to meet President, Northland News Center
  • Meet the Students at the White House Science Fair, The Atlantic
  • White House Science Fair, The New York Times
  • Philly-area students honored in White House Science Fair, The Philadelphia Inquirer
  • Young Plano scientist honored at the White House , ABC News