Press Release
Released by: Christopher Columbus Awards
Media Contacts: Linda Topoleski, 412-281-2345, ltopoleski@dymun.com
Nearly 2,000 Middle School Students Compete in National Awards Program to Improve Their Communities - Child Safety, the Environment Top Their List of Concerns
AUBURN, NEW YORK - May 28, 2003 -- Nearly 2,000 middle school students, working in teams, have entered the Christopher Columbus Awards this year, aiming to promote positive community change across the U.S., and hoping to win a trip to Walt Disney World(R) for their efforts. More than half of these students are girls, an unusually high number for an academic competition, and a statistic that competition officials believe is linked to the teamwork aspect, which plays to a strength of middle-school-age girls.
The most pressing community issues are child safety and the environment. Interestingly, many of the child safety entries were developed as substitutions for distracted or absent parents including: a bathtub scald stopper for babies and toddlers, a matchbox lock, and an electronic front door screener that would mimic adult voices or barking dogs and insist on information from the visitor.
Past winners have included a group of Native American girls who built a study hall out of straw on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, and a group of students from New Jersey who developed a technology to help deaf athletes communicate with their coaches while on the playing field.
10 Teams Win a Trip to Walt Disney World(R)
Ten finalist teams have won an all-expense-paid trip to the Walt Disney World(R) Resort, where they will compete in the Christopher Columbus Awards' National Championship Week, June 20-26. Rewards include $36,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds for the top three national winners. In addition, one team will bring home the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant to help bring its idea to life in the community. For a complete list of finalists and their entries, visit www.christophercolumbusawards.com.
The finalists also will attend the Christopher Columbus Academy, a custom-designed educational program. Conducted by scientists, engineers, and educators, the program reveals the science and technology behind the thrills and excitement of Epcot(R) and the Animal Kingdom(R).
Strong Participation from Girls, Minorities
The program attracts many students who may not typically enter a science competition. More than half of the entrants are girls, and more than a fourth are from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, statistics that are higher than those of most science competitions.
"The teamwork aspect and community focus draw upon the interests and strengths of a broader range of students to enter," said Robert J. Glovitz, chairman of the board of the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation.
The national panel of judges looks for bright ideas, solid research and testing, and teamwork when making their decisions. Judges have included nationally prominent scientists, journalists, teachers, and community leaders who have worked with children.
Positive Community Change
The Christopher Columbus Awards challenge teams of middle school students to explore and discover opportunities for positive change in their communities using science and technology. Formerly known as the Bayer/NSF Award, the program is now in its seventh year and has attracted more than 12,000 students from diverse backgrounds all across the U.S. The program is sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation with cooperation from the National Science Foundation and it is endorsed by National Middle School Association.
For more information visit www.christophercolumbusawards.com.