St. Therese School Students Named as One of
Eight Finalist Teams in National Science/Community
Service Competition Win Trip to Walt Disney World®

Students Aim to Protect the Bobwhite Quail Species Through Education

AUBURN, N.Y.—May 9, 2008—Bright ideas, solid research and teamwork won three students from St. Therese School, Parkville, Missouri, 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 Megan Greger, Jill Kallenberger and Elizabeth Rider, and their coach, Suzanne Greenwood, 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.

Intrigued by the habits and unique call of Missouri's only species of quail, the Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus), the students embarked on a study of the bird. They were dismayed to find that because of local habitat destruction due to suburban sprawl and some farming practices, the Bobwhite quail is on the National Audubon Society watch list. The student team theorized that if their community was made aware of the current threat to the Bobwhite quail’s existence, steps could be taken to ensure that the birds are protected.

To get the word out about the quail's predicament, the team created an instructional package entitled "Quail Gone Quiet," featuring a 70-slide PowerPoint presentation with a Jeopardy! theme, a quail garden blueprint, worksheets, games, and other activities and resources designed to educate students (primarily in grades 3-6) about the Bobwhite quail. The team received support and assistance from numerous sources, including Noell Challis and Chris Blunk of the Missouri Conservation Department, and refined its curriculum through a series of test presentations with diverse audiences.

"In talking with students during our presentations," the team members remarked, "we realized that for most kids, habitat destruction is something going on in the rainforest; they haven't really thought about what is happening right around us in Platte County. We want to create 'quail awareness' all over the state so that farmers and other landowners will want to follow quail-friendly land practices. In addition, we need our state legislators to set aside and protect land that can sustain a healthy quail population. At the end of our presentation, we include ways kids can get involved in the effort to Bring Back Bob."

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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