Middle schoolers take over Buffalo State University for 3rd annual 'IMPACT Expo'

Some students in our region are using their research skills to help others in their community.

400 middle school students from eleven local school districts took over Buffalo State's Math and Science complex for the third annual 'IMPACT Expo' on Monday.

It's a one-day conference by Erie 1 BOCES where students can showcase their own capstone projects.

Students got to study a topic that interests them and present their findings to their peers.

"I want them to feel like they have a love of learning and they can pursue what their interests are and maybe have an idea about their career paths moving forward," Melanie Kitchen, coordinator for Instructional Technology at Erie 1 BOCES said.

7 News spoke with 8th grader Savannah Smith who studied how sleep impacts teen's mental and physical health, and how it could help her on the soccer field.

"I think it's really awesome because kids could have a voice and they show what they're interested in," Smith said.