Willow Nelson, a junior at the Good Hope School, is in Chicago this week representing the territory in the U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition.
The competition draws students from all across the U.S. and is considered the world’s most prestigious youth award for a water-related science project, according to the event’s website. Winners of the U.S. conference, which runs through Saturday, will travel to Sweden in August to compete with their peers from around the world.
For her Intel-affiliated Science Fair project this spring, entitled “Marina Bacteria,” Nelson tested the waters of six marinas and bays around St. Croix for bacterial contamination and presented the results.
Each year the International Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition brings together the world’s brightest young scientists to encourage their continued interest in water and the environment.
The national and international competitions are open to young people between the ages of 15 and 20 who have conducted water-related projects focusing on local, regional, national or global topics of environmental, scientific, social or technological importance, according to a news release from the Good Hope School. The international winner receives a $5,000 award and a prize sculpture.
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden is the patron of the contest.
