Science Fair -- homeschoolers' ideas?

So our first science fair was a success :) My daughter did a great job, did not get any of the "big" awards, but she DID get the top prize from the local Society of Women Engineers (yay!!) Her project was very appropriate for an 8th grader--she studied how she could write on wet paper--by coating it with different substances and then testing them under water and with writing on them in pencil.

Looking ahead to next year...what kinds of ideas do you all have for homeschooled youth getting to work in a lab or with a mentor to perhaps do more in-depth projects? At this point she is interested in materials science and chemical engineering. We DO live in a rather rural area, which maybe complicates things, but do any of you have advice for how to get hooked up with someone who could give her ideas or perhaps how she could connect with someone with a "real" lab (not just our kitchen haha!)

Her use of the scientific method was correct and her presentations were awesome, she did a great job and the judges thought she did a great job.

I feel like the science that we provide through homeschooling is very sufficient, thorough, and in-depth enough for a general education. However, in competing with kids from high schools in something like science fair, it is obvious to me that she will need to be on another level for her research projects.

I'm looking forward to hearing what others suggest! Thank you in advance for your ideas.