Science Fair News 2006

October 22, 2003

America's Top Young Scientists Named at 5th Annual Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge

Thirteen-year-old Joseph Stunzi of Watkinsville, Georgia, was named "America's Top Young Scientist of the Year" by the judges of the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC). Stunzi, who attends St. Joseph School in Athens, Ga., bested the nation's 39 other top middle school science students during the competition for the title and the top share of $100,000 in scholarships and prizes.

The naming of the winner took place on October 22 at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. The ceremony featured taped remarks by Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and personal appearances by two-time Columbia mission specialist, NASA astronaut Catherine "Cady" Coleman, and Dr. Oz of Discovery Channel's program, Second Opinion.

Second place in the competition was awarded to 15-year-old Elizabeth Monier of Boerne, Tex., and third place to 14-year-old Elena Ovaitt of Weston, Mo. Other prizes included:

• Bryan Yancey (Miami, Fla.): Lowell Observatory "Star Gazer" Award
• Justin Koh (Bakersfield, Calif.): Travel Channel "Dream Science Trip" Award
• Scott Presbrey (Ft. Myers, Fla.): National Park Service "Explorer" Award
• Patrick Saris (Newbury Park, Calif.): Department of Commerce Award for Youth Technology
• Discovery Channel Team Prize: David Edwards, Tucson, Ariz.; Sarah Gerin, West Palm Beach, Fla.; Luis Lafer-Sousa, San Antonio, Texas; Spencer Larson, Springville, Utah; Jacob Rucker, Del Mar, Calif.)
• Erica David (Pinedale, Wyo.): Discovery Health Channel "Science Camp" Award
• Jeffrey Luttrell (Tempe, Ariz.): Animal Planet "Emergency Vets" Award
• Rachel Clements (Albuquerque, N.M.): The Science Channel "Space Camp" Award
• Daniel Steck (San Antonio, Texas): TLC "Hot Rod" Award
• Anthony Burnetti (Derwood, Md.): Wings Channel "EAA Aviation Camp" Award
• Michael Klein (Atlantic Beach, N.Y.): Discovery Consumer Products "Telescope" Award
• Jacob Rucker (Del Mar, Calif.) Discovery Kids "TV Star" Award

The winners were judged on the basis of scores from oral presentations of the projects they displayed at Science Service-affiliated fairs across the country, as well as their participation in a two-day series of rigorous, flight-themed team challenges, which took place at a Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport hangar in Washington, D.C.

In celebration of "100 years of flight," the team-based experiments involved all aspects of aviation and aeronautics. Inside the hangar, the students tested jet fuel propulsion in rocket cars, explored wing design using wind tunnels, and experimented with spy helicopters.

This year, 7,300 students were nominated to participate in the competition. The 40 finalists represented 16 states, including Arizona (3), California (8), Florida (5), Georgia (1), Indiana (1), Maryland (1), Missouri (3), New Mexico (2), New York (1), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (1), Tennessee (1), Texas (5), Utah (4), West Virginia (1), and Wyoming (1).

"For these excited students, it came down to 3 days, six challenges, and a lot of teamwork. Most importantly, these young scientists will return home as reinvigorated ambassadors of science to their peers, having accomplished a once-in-a-lifetime mission," said DCYSC Program Director Kyle O'Connor.

A program about this year's DCYSC will be broadcast on The Discovery Channel on Dec. 21, 2003, at 10 a.m.

September 17, 2003

America's Top 40 Middle School Scientists to Face Off in the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge

The nation's top 40 middle school scientists were notified today that they have advanced to the finals of the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC), the nation's premiere science contest for students in grades 5 to 8. Representing 16 states, the finalists are now gearing up to fly to Washington, D.C., to compete for the title of "America's Top Young Scientist of the Year."

During the competition, the 40 finalists will be judged in a rigorous 2-day series of team-based experiments. In celebration of the 100 years of flight, the DCYSC will feature challenges that reflect aspects of the evolution of air travel, including wing dynamics, fuel efficiency, air speed, and aerospace. Rocket cars, spy copters, and gliders will play a role in this year's kid-thrilling science competition, which will be taped for broadcast on The Discovery Channel.

"The Wright brothers were the same age as our 40 finalists when they first began experimenting with flight," said Kyle O'Connor, program director. "To create an authentic experience, we have designed a series of experiments that will make our students feel like they are facing the same challenges the Wright brothers did in their bike shop back in Dayton."

The students will compete for more than $100,000 worth in scholarships amd special prizes.

The finalists were chosen based upon the excellence of their projects presented at local Science Service-affiliated science fairs across the country. During the DCYSC finals, the kids will present their research projects to judges to demonstrate their communications skills and creative thinking.

August 13, 2003

Top Middle School Scientists Advance to the Semifinals of the 5th Annual Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge

Children from 45 States and D.C. One Step Closer to "America's Top Young Scientist of the Year"

Four hundred of the nation's brightest middle school students today were named semifinalists in the 2003 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC). Now in its fifth year, the DCYSC encourages science excellence among students in grades 5-8, recognizing the young scientists who demonstrate the best leadership, teamwork, communication, and scientific problem-solving skills.

The 400 DCYSC semifinalists hail from 45 states and the District of Columbia, with Florida (32), Ohio (24), Texas (22), Pennsylvania (15), California (14), and Arizona (13) topping the list of states with the most middle school innovators. The semifinalists' original science projects represent diverse areas of science and many reflect topical issues of national or local importance.

The top 400 range in age from 10 to 15 years old, with a nearly even split between girls and boys. Students qualified for the DCYSC by being nominated in state or regional science fairs. The Discovery Channel judges based their semifinalist selections on the quality of each student's original science project in addition to their ability to effectively communicate the science behind their work.

"These remarkable students have the curiosity, creativity, and talent to push the limits of innovation and exploration," said DCYSC Program Director Kyle O'Connor. "And, we are instilling in them the belief that scientific knowledge is most valuable when communicated and shared."

The field of 400 young scientists soon will be narrowed to 40, who will become the "Final Forty" and advance to the DCYSC Finalist Competition, held October 19-22, in Washington, D.C. In commemoration of the 100 years of aviation, the theme of this year's DCYSC finals is "Flight at 100."

At the team-based, interactive finals, finalists will be judged in a range of innovative and complex aviation-focused science challenges. The children 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."

June 30, 2003

Congratulations to DCYSC Entrants!

Across the country, more than 7,500 students were nominated for the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge at science fairs throughout the spring. Over 1,900 of these nominees submitted DCYSC entries by the June 4, 2003, deadline. They won a T-shirt for getting an entry in and are now part of the next phase of competition.

Currently, DCYSC evaluators are scoring all the entries we have received. With their scores and some help from our top DCYSC judges, we will narrow the pool to 400 semifinalists. Semifinalists will be announced in mid-August.

From the semifinalists, 40 finalists will be chosen to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. There, they will compete in scientific challenges and have the opportunity to win cool awards, such as scholarships and trips. Finalists will be announced in mid-September.

To view the finalist and semifinalist lists, please continue to check our Web site at http://www.sciserv.org/dysc/.

For further information about the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge, please visit http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/dysc/.

Have a great summer!