3 pupils take part in science challenge
Three local students were among the 14 semifinalist in the state and 400 in the nation selected as semifinalists in the 2002 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge.
Local finalists are:
Martinez Elementary School, Kevin Barnes Caughman, 5th grade, Incredible Shrinking Meat Patties
CSRA Home Education Association, Caroline Marie Johnson, 5th grade, Pitter Patter Rain Detector Splatter
Riverside Middle School, Raymond C. Rosier III, 6th grade, How Does Secondhand Smoke Affect Plants?
Open to students in grades 5-8, the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC) encourages science excellence among America's youth.
"At a time when science and technology play an increasingly critical role in all our daily lives, there is an urgency to ensure we are nurturing the next generation of young scientists," says Kyle O'Connor, DCYSC program director. "Discovery Channel's contest responds to this challenge by engaging middle school students and pushing the limits of innovation and creativity in science, as demonstrated by these 400 outstanding semifinalists."
The Final Forty will be selected from the 400 semifinalists to advance to the DCYSC National Competition, Oct. 19-22, in Washington, D.C. The Final Forty, who will be announced on September 18, will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the nation's capital, where they will compete for more than $100,000 worth of scholarships and special prizes as well as the title of "America's Top Young Scientist of the Year."
The DCYSC will test the finalists in a range of complex science challenges and will judge the students based on their science ability, leadership, teamwork and effective communication skills. From working as real-life 'Spy Kids' at the CIA in Langley, VA to fighting cyber-crime by determining ways to safeguard sensitive information, the finalists will be challenged and tested in the most critical issues relating to modern science and security. The students will also have fun exploring the physics of baseball with Hall of Fame players and fighting pollution with the National Park Service.
The winners will be announced at the Final Challenge and Awards Ceremony at the National Zoo on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
Students qualified for the DCYSC by winning or placing in their state or regional science fair. DCYSC judges, who reviewed more than 1,700 entries, based their semifinalist selections on the quality of each student's original science project in addition to each student's ability to effectively communicate the science behind their work and their findings.