Pin Oak Middle School Students Named as One of Eight Finalist Teams in National Science/Community Service Competition Win Trip to Walt Disney World®

Students Aim to Increase Awareness of Freeway Pollution

AUBURN, N.Y.—May 9, 2008—Bright ideas, solid research and teamwork won three students from Pin Oak Middle School, Bellaire, Texas, 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. Eighth-graders Caroline Batten, Audrey Einhorn and Erin Garza, and their coach, Daryl Grantham, made it to the semifinals earlier this month, and now are one of eight finalist teams from around the country who will compete for the grand prize—the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant.

When one of the students noticed that spending time on the school field during gym class often worsened her allergy symptoms, the student team decided to research the issue of air quality, particularly as it relates to freeway pollution. Pin Oak's athletic fields are located adjacent to the feeder street beside Loop 610, less than one mile from the heavily traveled U.S. Highway 59.

Considering that freeway pollution—the tiny particles, toxic chemicals and combustion gases emitted by vehicles—is associated with an increased incidence of illness and death among people who attend school or live near freeways, the students determined that steps should be taken to warn the community. The team wants to especially alert those who suffer from chronic respiratory illnesses or heart disease of the unsafe air quality conditions.

The students consulted with numerous health and air quality experts, including from the University of Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Texas Health Science Center and the Houston Bureau of Air Quality Control, to learn about air quality monitoring. The student team opted to focus on particle pollution, and used a Mobile Ambient Air Monitoring Laboratory to assess the air quality on the school fields. The team's findings confirmed its hypothesis that the air quality could be potentially hazardous, particularly to high-risk groups.

"We would like our findings to be shared with school districts," the team members remarked, "so they can take this information into consideration when determining the location of future schools and outdoor sporting arenas and facilities. We also hope that our project encourages the City of Houston to take steps to further reduce emissions from vehicles in order to reduce the health risks to urban residents."

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.

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