Garda V2

Garda had always been fascinated with science ever since she was a little girl. Her parents both engineers, so she grew up surrounded by gadgets, tools, and experiments. As soon as she was old enough to enter the school science fair, she jumped at the chance. For the past three years, she had won first place and she was determined to make it four in a row.

This year, Garda tackled the big topic of space. She decided to create a model of the solar system, including all the planets in their correct order. She spent weeks researching, gathering materials, and constructing each planet with meticulous detail. She even included information about each planet's size, distance from the sun, and unique characteristics. Garda was proud of her project and couldn't wait to show it off at the science fair.

On the day of the fair, Garda arrived early with her project in tow. She set up her display at her designated table and anxiously waited for the judges to come around. As she watched her classmates present their projects, she felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

Would her hard work pay off once again?

When it was finally her turn to present, Garda confidently explained her project to the judges. She talked about the size of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, and the icy surface of Neptune. She even included a section on Pluto, even though it was no longer considered a planet. Garda argued that Pluto should still be included in any discussion of our solar system, and she stood by her decision to include it in her project.

After the judging was over, Garda anxiously awaited the results. She chatted nervously with her friends, trying to distract herself from the anticipation. When the winners were finally announced, Garda's heart sank. She hadn't even placed in the top three. How could this be? She had put so much effort and time into her project, only to walk away empty-handed.

As Garda's disappointment started to sink in, she took a step back and reminded herself of why she loved science in the first place. It wasn't about winning awards or accolades—it was about the joy of discovery, the thrill of learning something new, and the satisfaction of creating something from scratch. Garda realized that even though she hadn't won this year, she had still accomplished something significant.

Garda's parents found her sitting alone at her table, looking dejected. They could see the disappointment written all over her face, but they also saw something else—a spark of determination. They knew their daughter well, and they knew that she wouldn't let this setback hold her back.

"Garda, sweetie, don't be so hard on yourself," her mom said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You worked so hard on your project, and we are so proud of you."

Her dad nodded in agreement. "Winning isn't everything, Garda. What matters is that you put your heart and soul into your project, and you learned so much along the way. You should be proud of yourself, no matter what the judges say."

Garda looked up at her parents, feeling a surge of gratitude and determination. They were right—winning wasn't everything. What mattered was the passion and love she had for science, and the knowledge and skills she had gained from working on her project. She smiled, feeling a renewed sense of purpose and determination.

"Thanks, Mom and Dad," Garda said, standing up from her chair. "You're right. I may not have won this year, but I had a great time working on my project, and I learned so much. I can't wait to see what I can accomplish next year!"

With a newfound determination, Garda packed up her project and headed home, her head held high. She knew that she had a bright future ahead of her, full of new ideas, new projects, and new discoveries. And who knows? Maybe next year, she would win first place once again. But even if she didn't, Garda knew that she would always have the love of science to guide her on her journey.

The end.