At seven middle
schools across Colorado today, 7 students are celebrating their selection
as one of 300 semifinalists of the Society for Science & the Public's
2008 Middle School Program - America's premiere science competition
for middle school students. As the best and brightest young scientific
minds in the state, each of these seven semifinalists, and their teachers,
are honored for their dedication and achievement.
This year's Colorado
semifinalists include:
Brendan Broderick,
grade 7, of Lakewood, CO for his project entitled Proton Exchange
Membrane Fuel Cells.
Devon Enke, grade
6, of La Veta, CO for his project entitled Fungus
or Fertilizer?
Molly Graber,
grade 6, of Colorado Springs, CO for her project entitled The
Effects of Bovine Colostrum on Breast Cancer.
Stephen O'Connor-Seville,
grade 8, of Dolores, CO for his project entitled Microbes
Make Electricity.
Carl Scheevel,
grade 7, of Grand Junction, CO for his project entitled Effectiveness
of Various Ground Covers on Soil Erosion on a 32.5% Grade.
Sara Volz, grade
7, of Colorado Springs, CO for her project entitled Are
Biodiesel Emissions Safer Than Commercial Diesel Emissions?
and were selected
from 1,943 entrants representing 253 affiliated science fairs across
the United States and Puerto Rico. The 300 semifinalists represent 42
states and Puerto Rico and include 177 males and 123 females. These
top young scientists, in 5th through 8th grades when their entry was
submitted, won the nomination by excelling at their regional or state
science fair. Each entrant submitted written essays of their science,
math and engineering projects. Projects os selected semifinalists included
research on water purification and fuel cells, mathematical algorithms,
and the amount of lead present in a student lunch box.
Elizabeth Marincola,
president of Society for Science & the Public, said, "These
talented young scientists are already stepping up to meet the great
scientific challenges of tomorrow. Their work will have a real impact
on generations to come and reaffirms the vision of Society for Science
& the Public to inform, education and inspire the world around us."
Since 1942, the
science education programs of Society for Science & the Public (SSP),
including the Intel Science Talent Search (originally the Westinghouse)
and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, have produced
future winners of the world's most prestigious scientific and academic
honors. Former finalists of SSP programs have gone on to win the Nobel
Prize, the Fields Medal, the National Medal of Science, and MacArthur
Foundation Fellowships.
Director of Education
Programs for SSP, Michele Glidden, said of the semifinalists and their
selection process, "Our evaluators and judges were amazed by the
caliber of research these students achieved. This year's semifinalists,
and their teachers and parents, are truly to be commended."
On September 17th,
30 national finalists will be named from among these 300 semifinalists
and will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC for a four-day
event to be held in October. In the nation's capital, these finalists
will compete for over $40,000 in scholarships provided by the Society
for Science & the Public. The top 10 winners will be selected based
on presentation of their original science fair project and participation
in team scientific activities to be held at the Koshland Science Museum
and announced October 22nd.
Society for Science
& the Public (formerly Science Service), a nonprofit organization
dedicated to the public engagement in scientific research and education,
owns and has administered the national middle school science programs
since 1999. SSP is now working to identify a partnering sponsor for
future years of this national middle school science program and competition.
Through decades
of dedication to excellence, SSP has offered many of the most revered
and prestigious science education resources in the world. To learn more
about its programs and publications, including the nation's leading
science magazine, Science News, visit www.societyforscience.org.