Keyport Central School Students Named as One of Eight Finalist Teams in National Science/Community Service Competition, Win Trip to Walt Disney World®

Students design a pacifier that provides muscular therapy and nutrition to infants with cleft lip and cleft palate.

AUBURN, N.Y. — April 27, 2009 — Bright ideas, solid research and teamwork won four students from Keyport Central School, in Keyport, N.J., 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 Ross Lane and Daniel O'Steen, sixth-graders Edward Jones and Kobe Miller, and their coach, Kelly Sedlazek, 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.

As the fourth most common birth defect in the U.S., cleft lip, with or without cleft palate, affects one in 700 babies annually, including a family member of one of the students. That personal connection prompted the team to learn more about the condition and its effects. They discovered that the disorder consists of a separation of the lip and/or an absent soft palate, and it often results in speech impediments, even if the sufferer undergoes corrective surgery. Immediate intervention strategies are required to prevent this from occurring. One such strategy, which was employed by the team members' relatives, was to fill an ordinary pacifier with bubble gum in order to strength the infant's jaw muscles. The students decided to build on that homespun idea by developing a pacifier with an extra strong rubber nipple.

During its research on cleft lip and cleft palate, the team became aware of a secondary problem that commonly impacts infants — vitamin deficiencies. So the team added another innovation to its pacifier prototype. The nipple can be detached and filled by a caregiver with a powdered vitamin supplement. The vitamins, all of which are integral to the healthy growth and development of infants, are filtered through tiny holes in the nipple and dispensed into the infant's system. The prototype met with positive reviews from area medical professionals.

"Our project not only will help children with cleft lip and cleft palate, but also will help all children receive the vitamins they need," the team members remarked. "Vitamin deficiencies can lead to learning disabilities and other problems that greatly affect our entire community."

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 14-19, 2009, 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 14th year and has attracted more than 17,000 students from diverse backgrounds all across the U.S. The program is sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation. 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 Life Sciences Awards, the $25,000 Homeland Security Awards and the Christopher Columbus Awards.

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

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