[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22922]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE FINALISTS OF THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL'S YOUNG SCIENTIST 
                               CHALLENGE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SHERWOOD BOEHLERT

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 17, 2005

  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the House Committee on 
Science, I am an avid supporter of programs that encourage the youth of 
America to push the limits of innovation. One such program is the 
Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge.

  In 1999, Discovery Communications, Inc., designed the Discovery 
Channel Young Scientist Challenge to help address America's chronic 
underachievement in K-12 science and math. The annual national contest 
responds to evidence that our students' academic performance and 
interest in science declines dramatically as they become older, 
particularly during the middle school years.

  The Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge attempts to reverse 
that decline by identifying and honoring America's top middle school 
students with a demonstrated ability in leadership, teamwork, and 
scientific problem solving. More than 9,500 middle school students have 
accepted the challenge and have competed for the title of ``America's 
Top Young Scientist of the Year.'' Since 1999, scholarship awards for 
the students have totaled more than $500,000, and challenge winners 
have participated in science-related trips to far-off places, including 
the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, Scotland and the El Yunque rain 
forest in Puerto Rico.

  On September 14, 2005, Discovery Communications, Inc., announced the 
40 middle school students who will advance to the finals of the 
Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge. Selected from more than 
1,700 entrants, the finalists represent an elite group of young 
Americans who have demonstrated exceptional creativity and 
communications skills in their original science research projects. The 
40 finalists will come to Washington, D.C. during October 15-20, where 
they will take part in the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge 
finalist competition at University of Maryland's Cole Field House. 
There, they will compete in team-based, interactive challenges designed 
around the theme of ``Forces of Nature.'' The winners will be announced 
at the awards ceremony on October 19, 2005.
  The finalists for the 2005 Discovery Channel Young Scientist 
Challenge are: Iftin Abshir of Littleton, CO; John Bolander of Memphis, 
IN; Pinaki Bose of Fort Worth, TX; Kelsey Burnham of Okeechobee, FL; 
Shireen Dhir of Kathleen, GA; Brendan Dwyer of Northport, NY; Heather 
Foster of Beverly Hills, FL; Anudeep Gosal of Orlando, FL; Joanna Guy 
of Oakland, MD; Mary Hedberg of N. Attleboro, MA; Joshua Jones of 
Titusville, FL; Taylor Jones of Maryville, TN; Melanie Kabinoff of 
Boynton Beach, FL; Spencer Larson of Springville, UT; Gregory Lavins of 
Solon, OH; Melissa Luga of Hilo, HI; Elijah Mena of Gales Ferry, CT; 
Camden Miller of Fairview, TX; Lucia Mocz of Mililani, HI; Alyssa 
Ovaitt of Weston, MO; Susan Pasternak of Santa Barbara, CA; Jacob Perry 
of Livingston, MT; Sarah Pierz of Clarkston, MI; Sabrina Prabakran of 
Fort Myers, FL; Nilesh Raval of Saginaw, MI; Roberto Rios of Mayaguez, 
PR; Aaron Rozon of Kapa'a, HI; Colleen Ryan of Chillicothe, OH; 
Brittany Sheehan of Bluffton, OH; Katherine Smith of Malabar, FL; 
Narayan Subramanian of Saratoga, CA; Adrian Tatulian of Orlando, FL; 
Bailey Terry of Newcastle, WY; Neela Thangada of San Antonio, TX; 
Nilesh Tripuraneni of Fresno, CA; Sheel Tyle of Pittsford, NY; 
Alexander Uribe of Eagle Mountain, UT; Ruslan Werntz of Coppell, TX; 
Garrett Yazzie of Pinon, AZ; and Robert Zane of Honolulu, HI.
  At a time when science and technology plays such an enormous role in 
our lives, I believe it is imperative that we continue to support and 
nurture the next generation of young scientists. I would like to 
congratulate these students for their dedication and hard work and wish 
them all good luck and good science during the 2005 Discovery Channel 
Young Scientist Challenge.

                          ____________________