Bexley City Schools Students Named as One of Eight Finalist Teams in National Science/Community Service Competition Win Trip to Walt Disney World®

Students Promote the Use of Methane as an Alternative Energy Source

AUBURN, N.Y.—May 9, 2008—Bright ideas, solid research and teamwork won four students from the Bexley City Schools, Bexley, Ohio, a spot 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 Nan Boyle, Maranda Gammage, Meghan Heckman and Hannah Hood, and their coach, Lindsay Young, made it to the semifinals earlier this month, and now are one of eight finalist teams in the country to compete for the grand prize—the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant.

Concerned about the use of non-renewable fossil fuels and their impact on global warming, the students decided to research alternative energy sources that are renewable and non-polluting. They discovered that decomposing trash and waste creates vast amounts of methane gas that can be burned for energy, literally converting trash into treasure. Considering the fact that the current world population of 6.5 billion people generates nearly three pounds of methane-producing garbage per person per day, the team theorized that if the methane produced in landfills across the U.S. could be captured and used as a renewable energy source, it could heat up to 50% of the nation’s housing units.

To observe the effects of methane energy for themselves, the student team measured the heat production of compost piles on the land of Kurtz Brothers Inc., a composting company that collects yard waste, and met with David Brant, a local farmer who uses methane produced from the decomposition of cornhusks and pig manure to heat his home. The team also consulted with field experts—including Kristi Michaels and Tim Berlekamp of the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, and Dr. Charles Moore and Dr. Ann Christy from Ohio State University—to learn about the landfill decomposition process and how methane can be harnessed as an energy source.

"Using methane to provide energy is very efficient," the team members remarked. "It would enable us to use fewer non-renewable resources, such as coal, and to reduce the negative impact of garbage in landfills. Capturing the methane from a reduced garbage flow could have a dynamic impact on our environment. Our dream is that someday there might be a whole community of offices and homes using methane as an alternative energy source."

A panel of community leaders, scientists and experts in science education selected this idea as one of the top eight entries in the U.S. More than 600 students and coaches participated nationwide.

Team Wins a Trip to Walt Disney World®

The team and their coach win an all-expense-paid trip to the Walt Disney World® Resort, where they will compete in the Christopher Columbus Awards National Championship Week, June 16-20, 2008, plus a $200 grant to further develop their project.

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 12th year, and has attracted more than 15,500 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 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 bales on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana; and a team of students from Pennsylvania who developed a video/motion sensor device to deter motorists from trying to illegally pass stopped school buses.

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 nearly 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.

About the Sponsor

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation is an independent Federal government agency created by Congress in 1992 to encourage and support research, study and labor designed to produce new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind. The Foundation has established Frontiers of Discovery—Work in Progress and Discover the Future, programs that recognize “cutting edge” innovations, innovative ideas of America’s youth, and honor teachers. These programs include the four new Life Sciences Awards, $25,000 Homeland Security Award, Christopher Columbus Awards, and the $10,000 Freida J. Riley Teacher Award.

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

# # #