Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation

Christopher Columbus Awards 2002-2003

Christopher Columbus Awards and $25,000 Christopher Columbus Foundation Community Grant. The program name was changed as the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation became the sole sponsor.

Finalist Teams

At an awards ceremony held at Walt Disney World, three of the finalist teams place first, second and third and receive savings bonds for their winning entries. The competition is geared toward middle school-age children, and gives kids experience in solving problems using the scientific process of exploring, analyzing and drawing conclusions.

The finalist teams were judged a second time for the practicality of implementing their idea. The winning team received the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant to take back to their community to make their innovation a reality.

First Place - Now You See It - Now You Don't - Bexley Middle School, Bexley, OH

Problem: Excessive amounts of animal carcasses clogging landfills and incinerators.
Solution: Mortality Composting - burying a dead animal in a compost pile of sawdust where it will decompose quickly with no odor.

Second Place - Walk N' Rest - Fontainebleau Junior High School, Mandeville, LA

Problem: Poor design of current walkers
Solution: Redesign current walkers so they include lights for better vision and movement at night and a seat so the person can stop and rest when needed.

Third Place - Purple Martin Houses - Carlinville Middle School, Carlinville, IL

Problem: The effects that West Nile Virus have on the people and the community.
Solution: Create Purple Martin colonies and an education program about them. Purple Martins are birds that would control the mosquito population.

$25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant - SSS: Sensors Saving Students - A.M. Kulp Elementary School, Hatfield, PA

Problem: Danger of getting off a school bus and crossing the street because vehicles illegally pass stopped school buses.
Solution: School bus that will alert students that a car is passing the bus - this equipment would also take a picture of the car license plate so a ticket can be issued.