Contact: Linda Topoleski, 412-281-2345 or ltopoleski@dymun.com
Or: Memorial Park Middle School, Phone: 260-425-7410
Memorial Park Middle School Students Recognized in National Competition
Team Works to Replace Chips and Cookies with Education About the Food Pyramid and Exercise for Area Students
AUBURN, NY—April 8, 2003—Bright ideas, solid research and teamwork won four students from Memorial Park Middle School in Fort Wayne, IN, a berth as semifinalists in the Christopher Columbus Awards, a nationwide program that challenges middle-school students to explore opportunities for positive change in their communities.
With Fort Wayne, IN recently ranked as one of the most obese cities in the U.S., these students decided to take action. Eighth-graders Christine Walker, Tara Deal, Avery Archer, and Stephanie Green, and their mentor, retired science teacher Larry Lesh, were shocked to learn that one-fifth of the state’s population is considered obese. They noted that school-age kids in particular seemed to be upending or even crumbling the food pyramid by replacing the ‘base level’ grains, fruits and vegetables with lots of fats and sugars.
The team measured the body mass index of students in nearby schools and asked them to keep diet and exercise journals. Then they presented them with helpful information about healthy eating and exercise to try to change their habits. "We’re hoping to expand our education programs with brochures and a CD in area grocery stores and a commercial for cable television to let everyone know how important diet and exercise are," the team said.
A panel of community leaders, scientists and experts in science education judged this idea as one of the top 30 Christopher Columbus Award entries in the U.S. Nearly 2,000 students participated nationwide.
A Chance to Compete at Walt Disney World®
On April 29, 10 of the 30 semifinalist teams will be named winners of an all-expense-paid trip to the Walt Disney World® Resort, where they will compete in the Christopher Columbus Award's National Championship, 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.
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® and the Magic Kingdom®.
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 the National Middle School Association and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. 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.
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 Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation believes the teamwork aspect and community focus draws a broader range of students to enter.
For more information, please call 1-800-291-6020 or visit www.christophercolumbusawards.com