President Obama meets once-homeless Intel semifinalist Samantha Garvey

Samantha Garvey may have thought her last Washington visit was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Who knew the next time would be even better?

Garvey, who made national headlines in January by reaching the semifinals of the Intel science competition and becoming homeless in the same month, discussed her work with President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday.

Obama hosted the second White House Science Fair, celebrating the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country. The president talked with Bay Shore's Garvey, 18, about her environmental sciences project examining the effect of physical environment and predators on a specific species of mussel.

The visit capped a whirlwind few weeks for Garvey, who attended Obama's State of the Union address Jan. 24 as a guest of U.S. Rep Steve Israel (D-Huntington)

Four days later, Garvey and her parents, twin brother and sister moved into a Suffolk County-owned home in Bay Shore.