Contact: Linda Topoleski, 412-281-2345, ltopoleski@dymun.com

AUBURN, NY,—April 29, 2005—Bright ideas, solid research and teamwork won four students from Edward W. Stitt, IS 64 in New York, a berth as finalists in the Christopher Columbus Awards, a nationwide program that challenges middle-school students to explore opportunities for positive change in their communities. Eighth-graders Gracy Escolastico, Ramon De Jesus, and Yenedy Arias, and seventh-grader Angela Lopez, and their teacher, Ramon Sanchez, had made it to the semifinals earlier this month and now are one of eight teams in the country to compete for the grand prize—the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant.

Noting a huge disparity in size—up to a foot and a half in height and 100 pounds in weight—among middle-school students nationwide, these students decided to level the playing field in the classroom. They discovered that some of their classmates were unable to fully see the teacher and blackboard, or participate at lab tables, without sitting on their feet or standing. So they developed an inflatable backpack that folds out into a chair which the students can easily take to each class and even carry their supplies in.

The students researched various furniture designs with manufacturers and surveyed students and teachers at their school to develop their design. They also tested the inflatable chair and determined it would be just as utilitarian outside the classroom, at sporting events, concerts, and other locations. They hope to turn their idea into an actual product if they win the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant, as part of the competition.

A panel of community leaders, scientists and experts in science education judged this idea as one of the top eight entries in the U.S. Over 1,100 students participated nationwide.

Team Wins a Trip to Walt Disney World®

The team wins an all-expense-paid trip to the Walt Disney World® Resort, where they will compete in the Christopher Columbus Awards' National Championship Week, June 19 - 24, plus a $200 grant to further develop their ideas.

Each member of two Gold Medal winning teams will receive a $2,000 U.S. Savings Bond and one team will receive the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant as seed money to help bring its idea to life in the community. The Grant winning team will receive support from the Christopher Columbus Awards staff and continued guidance from their coach and community leaders.

The finalists will also 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. The program is now in its ninth year and has attracted nearly 13,000 students from diverse backgrounds all across the U.S. The program is sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation (www.columbusfdn.org) with support from the National Science Foundation and it is endorsed by the National Middle School Association. 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 Pennsylvania who developed a video/motion sensor device for school buses that deters motorists from trying to pass illegally.

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 draw a broader range of students to enter.

For more information, call 1-800-291-6020 or visit www.christophercolumbusawards.com.