Society for Science & the Public (SSP) Middle School Program (MSP)
(Formerly: DCYSC - Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge)
2008 Entries Due: June 4
SARSEF Fair ID #: 120401 (Needed on the submission paperwork)
Nominees (and/or their parents) will be asked to register online and will at that time receive the essays for entry into the national competition. Written entries must then be submitted by June 4 to compete for national recognition. Semifinalists will be announced in August and Finalists will be announced in September with a culminating finalist competition occurring in Washington, DC the late Fall 2008.
NOTE: There is some confusion regarding the Middle School Program Competition. This is a communications competition. Students are nominated largely on their abstract and to some extent on their board display and general writing skills. It is entirely possible that some students will win several awards and not receive the MSP nomination, and also that some students who had good science projects but did not win other awards will be nominated for the MSP. Those who work hard, and have communicated their science well (including proper grammar and spelling), may be rewarded with an all expense trip for the student and one parent to Washington DC. There are also numerous prized to be won while there.
In order to compete successfully, you will need excellent communication skills, and your abstract is one of the most critical documents for the judges.
Read on to learn more about the MSP, and go to the link to learn even more. In 1999, Discovery Communications, Inc. in partnership with Science Service created the DCYSC to enable 5th to 8th grade school students to participate in a national science competition. The Society for Science & the Public will continue this tradition with the MSP, which is designed to award students in the 5th through 8th grades for their knowledge of science and their ability to communicate effectively about science.
Students first must compete in the local or regional science fair that is affiliated with Science Service. Each affiliated fair has an opportunity to nominate the top 10% of their fair winners who are then MSP nominees. MSP Nominees win a certificate, lapel pin award at their local, regional or state science fair and are provided an entry form that must be completed and returned by early June to enter the next phase of competition.
Student entries are evaluated by at least two evaluators who come from a pool of qualified science teachers, scientists, and science writers. From this initial evaluation, the MSP judges will select the top four hundred students as semifinalists and the top forty students as finalists.
Finalists win an all expense paid trip to Washington, DC in October to compete for a share of $40,000 in scholarships and prizes. The top student wins a $20,000 scholarship. Students prepare an oral presentation about their original science fair project and also work in teams of five on scientific "challenges." In the past, the challenges were hosted by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History and National Museum of American History. During the challenges students are judged individually on communication, leadership, problem solving and their knowledge of science and scientific processes. The Society for Science & the Public believes that this program has become a tradition in science education and a stepping stone for middle school students who are enthusiastic and inquisitive about science. For further information about the MSP, please contact Society for Science & the Public - MSP, 1719 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, phone: 202-785-2255 email: ttention@societyforscience.org OR visit www.societyforscience.org
Congratulations 2007 Semi Finalists & Finalists:
Finalists:
Brigg Jannuzi
Doolen Middle School, 8th grade
Flame's the Game
Kyrillos Tawadros
Doolen Middle School, 8th grade
Flame's the Game
Matthew Nanni
Emily Gray Junior High School, 8th grade
Gnathamitermes perplexus: The Fertilizing Termite of the Sonoran Desert
SemiFinalists:
Jared Agron
Painted Sky Elementary School, 5th grade
The Nose Knows, or Does It?
Peter Angeli
Orange Grove Middle School, 6th grade
Measuring the Height of the Moon Mountains with a Simple Telescope
Birdie Coleman
Coleman Homeschool, 6th grade
Caves, Conservation, and Cochise
Joshua Gleason
St. Michael's Parish Day School, 8th grade
Cooling Photovoltaic Cells: A Two for One Deal
Hannah Houser
Bonita Elementary School, 5th grade
What Color Asphalt Keeps Its Cool?
Christina Hoyer-Kimura
Satori Charter School, 7th grade
View It
Brigg Jannuzi
Doolen Middle School, 8th grade
Flame's the Game
Kyrillos Tawadros
Doolen Middle School, 8th grade
Flame's the Game
Anna Loukianova
Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School, 8th grade
Smoke in a Box
Alex McNerney
Fruchthendler Elementary School, 5th grade
Beetle Juice: Extracting Dye from Cochineal Beetles
Eli Medvescek
Academy of Tucson, 8th grade
Investigating Alternative Habitats for Repopulating Desert Pupfish
Matthew Nanni
Emily Gray Junior High School, 8th grade
Gnathamitermes perplexus: The Fertilizing Termite of the Sonoran Desert
Rachel O'Brien
Manzanita Elementary School, 5th grade
Tuning Time
Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan
Doolen Middle School, 7th grade
Hydroponics in the Desert
Hannah Elice Houser
Bonita Elementary School, Wilcox (YESF), 5th Grade
What Color Asphalt Keeps Its Cool?
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