Christopher Columbus Awards
The Christopher Columbus Awards program
is a national community-based STEM competition that taps the natural curiosity and creativity
of kids to better their communities. The program is designed for sixth
through eighth grade students, and they must work in teams of three or
four with an adult coach. The team must identify a problem in its community,
and devise a solution that requires the team to obtain hands-on experience
with the scientific process-exploring, analyzing and drawing conclusions-and
learn how to apply it to everyday life.
Competition
There are three judging levels--Regional, Finalist and National:
- The Regional Judging is conducted by
a national panel of educators, scientists, engineers and community
leaders. The top three entries from each of the 10 regions will be
selected as semi-finalists.
- The Finalist Judging is conducted by
a panel of seven judges who review all 30 entries. Each judge gets
one vote, and the semifinalist teams that get the
most votes will become finalist teams, and will participate in
the national finals competition in Florida.
The finalist teams receive
an all-expense-paid trip to Walt
Disney World
® in Orlando, Florida, to compete
in the final judging, and also to attend the Christopher
Columbus Academy. The Academy is an educational
opportunity that gives the finalists firsthand experience
with discovery and innovation, while being guided by
experts in science, technology and education.
- The National Finals Judging will take
place at Walt Disney World, and the winning teams will be
announced.
The deadline for submissions is February 7, 2013.
Christopher Columbus
Academy
During the week, the finalist teams attend the Christopher
Columbus Academy, which is a unique program designed to challenge its
participants minds, uncover hidden talents, and introduce the teams to
some of the most exciting and innovative people in the world. Through
the Academy, the teams discover new techniques for youth team building
and community action, get a behind-the-scenes look at Disney attractions,
and learn from Disney's own Imagineers about the challenges and triumphs
of Ride and Design at Walt Disney World.
Finalist Teams
At an awards ceremony held at Walt Disney World, two gold medal winning
teams will each receive monetary awards each and a plaque for each team member along with a plaque
for their school. The competition is geared toward middle
school-age children, and gives kids experience in solving real-life problems
using the scientific process of exploring, analyzing and drawing conclusions.
Columbus Foundation Community Grant
The
$25,000
Columbus Foundation Community Grant is an additional
opportunity for one finalist team to take its project to a higher level.
In conjunction with a community partner, the student team uses the grant
money to make part or all of its ideas a reality in the community over
the course of the year following the competition. The grant is dedicated
to encouraging young explorers to grow as individuals and to gain a sense
of accomplishment.
The grant project is designed to provide a unique opportunity for young
people to see hope where there is a problem, and develop confidence in
their abilities to change an unacceptable situation. Adult community
leaders play an important role by administering the grant money and providing
the team with guidance. The grant brings young people and adults together
to create a brighter future for all of us.