Contact: Linda Topoleski, 412-281-2345 Or: Whiteface Junior High School

ltopoleski@dymun.com Teacher Laura Wilbanks, 806-287-1285

- UPDATE -

Whiteface Junior High School Students

Named as One of Eight Finalist Teams in National Science Competition Win Trip to Walt Disney World®

Students Develop All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Program for Teens

AUBURN, NY,—April 18, 2006—Bright ideas, solid research and teamwork won three students from Whiteface, TX 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. Seventh-graders Zachary Wilbanks, Ben Donnell, Cullan Howe and J.R. Hernandez, and their coach, school science coordinator Laura Wilbanks, 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.

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) provide challenge and thrills for riders, yet, because of their unique design which limits their correction on turns and bumps, they can also be a danger to those same riders and the environment. The ATV Safety Institute reports the highest rates of accidents and deaths with ATVs occur in the 13-16-year-old age group, a statistic that hit too close to home for this group of teens and pre-teens and motivated them to take action.

After conducting research, including interviews with experts at the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Rails to Trails Conservancy and environmental experts, the team determined that a personal and environmental safety course was needed to reduce the potentially dangerous impact of ATVs. They developed a small ATV course in eastern Cochran Country that includes safety and environmental awareness signage to alert drivers of the hazards. They also developed a classroom safety course using handheld ATV models to simulate different driving conditions and responses. If they win the competition, they would like to convert a 22.4 mile section of abandoned railroad track into an ATV trail through the grasslands ecosystem of West Texas in a way that is light on the environment.

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 1,200 students and coaches participated nationwide.

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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, May 28-June 2, 2006, 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 tenth year and has attracted nearly 14,000 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.

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