Moore Middle School students showcased their innovation and scientific excellence at the prestigious Texas State Science and Engineering Fair, held March 27–28 at Texas A&M University. The two-day event brought together the top young scientists from across the state for a weekend of competition, collaboration, and discovery.
Four Moore Middle School finalists—Robert Reed, Fletcher Dickey, Maxwell Storms, and Lennox Harlacher—represented their campus among more than 1,100 students who advanced from regional competitions. Out of more than 25,000 students statewide, these Mustangs earned their place among Texas’ best through outstanding research and innovation.
Finalists participated in live interviews, presenting their projects to panels of judges. In addition to category awards, students competed for prestigious specialty recognition from leading organizations, including ExxonMobil, Regeneron, Citadel Securities, and SpaceX.
Earlier this year, Moore student Robert Reed earned one of the fair’s most distinguished honors, the Lemelson Early Inventor Prize from the Society for Science, at the regional level. The award is presented to just one project across all junior and senior divisions, highlighting exceptional creativity and invention.
Moore’s continued success is guided by 8th-grade science teacher Abbey Smith, who has helped more than 31 students advance to state competition over the past 14 years. Alongside co-coordinator Ms. Easterling, a former Moore science fair participant, the program has seen remarkable growth, advancing 14 students to state in the last three years and expanding the local fair into a regional STEM event hosted at UT Tyler.
The importance of STEM education was echoed by keynote speaker Bryan Almon, who encouraged students to dream boldly and pursue innovation to solve future challenges.
Tyler ISD proudly congratulates these students for their outstanding achievements. With a commitment to “Breaking Barriers,” Moore Middle School continues to inspire the next generation of innovators, already preparing for the 2027 competition by connecting students with experts from Tyler Junior College and The University of Texas at Tyler.
For more information, contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@TylerISD.org.