-- K-12 Students From Across The Country Tackle National Environmental Challenges To Earn More Than $300,000 in Scholarships, Educational Trips, and More --
ISELIN, N.J., April 22, 2013—The Siemens Foundation, Discovery Education, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), and the College Board announced today the grand prize winners of the fifth annual Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, the nation’s premier national environmental sustainability challenge that provides K-12 students the tools and inspiration to improve their schools, their communities and their world through project-based learning.
For the Challenge, elementary, middle and high school students across the country were tasked with identifying an environmental issue in their schools, communities or the world at large and creating a replicable green solution under the guidance of a teacher or mentor using web-based curriculum tools powered by Discovery Education.
The winners were chosen from a select group of nearly 100 finalists and whittled down by a rigorous judging process. A panel of environmental advocates, science teachers and professors selected this year’s winners based on each project’s ability to creatively present a viable solution and engage their communities.
"These students are tackling the important environmental issues that we are all facing and creating viable solutions that can help affect change,” said Jeniffer Harper-Taylor, President of the Siemens Foundation. "The Siemens Foundation and its partners are so proud of the work we’ve seen this year and hope that ultimately these solutions help make the world a better place for this generation of students and the generations that follow."
In addition to several other prizes, the high school grand prize winning team will receive $50,000 in scholarship money to divide among team members and a chance to present their project at a prestigious venue. Each student on the middle school grand prize winning team will receive a $10,000 savings bond along with a Discovery Student Adventure trip to Costa Rica. Elementary school winners will be invited to a Discovery Education assembly focusing on sustainability, at which time a grant will be given to their schools.
High School Winners
Grand Prize Winners:
The Nanocrystals -- “Optimizing Solar Cells for Sustainable Use”
Rockdale Magnet for Science & Technology
Conyers, GA
Second Place Winners:
Ghost Crab Trap--“Ghost Crab Trap”
North Co Senior High School
Glen Burnie, MD
Third Place Winners:
DTEP Design Firm --“The HydroPod Project”
Skyline High School
Ann Arbor, Mich
Middle School Winners
Grand Prize Winners:
Trash Terminators -- “Zero Waste: iRecycle and iCompost”
Phillips Middle School
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Second Place Winners:
Project Reservoir -- “Project Reservoir – Mosquito Reduction Initiative”
Christa McAuliffe School 28
Jersey City, N.J.
Third Place Winners:
Flying Falcons “Every Drop Counts”
Fort Settlement Middle School
Sugar Land, Texas
Elementary School Winners Grades 3-5
Grand Prize Winners:
Tackling Trash with Tires -- “Tackling Trash with Tires”
Kelly Mill Elementary School
Cumming, GA
Second Place Winners:
CRS STLP -- “Paper Savers”
Charles Russell Elementary School
Ashland, KY
Third Place Winners:
From Garbage to Garden -- “From Garbage to Garden”
Riffenburgh Elementary School
Fort Collins, Colo
Elementary School Winners Grades K-2
Grand Prize Winners:
Riverside Elementary West – Gifted Grades 1 -- “Aqua Busters”
Riverside Elementary West School
Taylor, Penn
Second Place Winners:
Green Thumbs -- “Operation Green Thumb”
Lincoln Avenue Academy
Lakeland, Fla
Third Place Winners:
The Paper Savers -- “The Paper Savers”
Charter Oak International Academy
West Hartford, Conn
For additional details about prizes, visit:
For more information on the Challenge, the winners and their projects, visit
www.wecanchange.com.
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Washington, DC – Building upon his 
