AUBURN, NY—April 8, 2003—Bright ideas, solid research and teamwork won four students from River Bluff Middle School in Stoughton, WI, 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.

By putting red worms to work in a compost pile, the students are hoping to create a natural fertilizer that would change the pH balance of area lawns and prevent further pollution of area lakes with phosphorous runoff. But that will mean changing the lawn care habits of area residents, and the students are prepared for that too.

"Most people don’t realize the fertilizers they use on their lawns eventually make their way to Virgin Lake and cause massive weed overgrowth," the team—8^th graders Rebekah Gillespie, Gaither Smith, Jenny Speth, and 7^th grader Emily London and their teacher, Kendra Larmour said. "This uses up all the oxygen in the water and hurts the fish and other wildlife."

The students conducted experiments mixing the worms with leaves, grass clippings, peat moss and food scraps in a warm light area and turning it periodically over three months time. The resulting compost is healthier and chemical free they say, than commercial pesticides. They plan to educate area residents of the benefits and availability of natural composting as a lawn care alternative through community workshops and potentially, cable television advertising.

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.