Contact: Linda Topoleski, 412-281-2345 School Phone: 715-356-5206

WASHINGTON, D.C.—April 23, 2002—A team of three Minocqua-Hazelhurst & Lake Tomahawk Elementary School students from Minocqua, WI, today became one of just 10 teams in the nation to be named finalists in the Bayer/National Science Foundation Award, a cutting-edge program that challenges middle school students to use science and technology to make their community a better place to live.

As part of their community observation process, the students discovered that Wisconsin’s lakes were being taken over by an introduced plant species. "The Eurasian Water Milfoil is an aquatic invader that was accidentally brought over from Europe, Asia and Northern Africa. Since 1942 it has spread like wildfire," said eighth-grader Janell Zajicek and seventh-graders Maree Stewart and Luke Voellinger. Wisconsin has the largest Milfoil infestation in the United States.

Coached by teacher Lisa Ahlers, the students researched the Milfoil and discovered it had gained entrance to the United States on boats. They also found that the Milfoil has a predator in Wisconsin—a small water bug that is a type of weevil. Through a combination of educating their fellow classmates and holding a contest to build awareness of the Milfoil problem, the team concluded that young people are concerned about the Milfoil infestation. To solve this problem, the team plans to increase public awareness and to develop a program to release Milfoil-consuming weevils into Wisconsin lakes with its entry titled, "Milfoil Master." The team now advances to the finals in the Bayer/NSF Award for a chance to win the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant, seed money to help the team bring the idea to life in the community.

The students began developing their entry last fall. They conducted research and worked with community leaders and other mentors to develop and test their solutions, then submitted an entry comprised of written and visual components. A national panel of judges selected their proposal as one of the top 10 from among more than 600 entries submitted nationwide. Nearly 2,500 students participated.

Teams to Compete for $25,000 Grant, Savings Bonds at Walt Disney World^®

As finalists, each team and their coach have won an all-expenses-paid trip to the Walt Disney World^® Resort from June 14-21, where they will compete in the Bayer/NSF Award’s National Championship. The first-, second- and third-place teams will receive up to $20,000, $12,000 and $4,000 in savings bonds, respectively. One finalist team will win the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant.

While in Orlando, the students will present their projects to a prestigious panel of national judges and attend the Christopher Columbus Academy, a custom-designed educational experience that explores the science and technology of the theme park as well as the Space Shuttle at the Kennedy Space Center.

The 2002 Bayer/NSF Award National Championship judging panel includes: Renee Wilkerson Anderson, Teacher, Grant High School; Steve Culbertson, CEO, Youth Service America; Greg Hale, Vice President Design & Engineering and Regulatory Compliance, Walt Disney Company; Dr. William Warren, CEO, SCIPERO,Inc.; Dr. James Youniss, Life Cycle Institute, Catholic University.

Other finalists include: "Stopping Carts," from Brandon, MS; "Quiet Car Alarms," from San Diego, CA; "Baby Beepers for Cars," from Las Vegas, NV; "Going Buggy for Amish Roadway Safety," from Sullivan, OH; "Pendulum Braking System for Wheelchairs," from North Wales, PA; "Ladder Maniacs," from Summerville, SC; "Plateau Preservation," from Crossville, TN; "Project Red Arroyo," from San Angelo, TX; and "Comfort Quest," from Manassas, VA.

Sponsored by Bayer Corporation as part of its Making Science Make Sense program, the National Science Foundation, and the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, the Bayer/NSF Award was created after studies revealed that middle school is the stage where U.S. students fall behind their peers around the world in science achievement.

Now in its sixth year, the program is endorsed by the National Middle School Association and incorporates many of the recommendations of the National Science Education Standards, emphasizing teamwork, inquiry and real-world settings to attract students to science, technology and community service.