This year's entries consisted of one- to two-minute digital video files on one of four given topics: preventing the spread of germs/diseases; food safety; sun protection; or wind-resistant structures.
A panel of judges, experts in the sciences, social activism, and science education, evaluated all entered videos on the basis of creativity, persuasiveness, classroom suitability, and overall presentation. (Production quality is not a consideration.) Each of the 47 state semifinalists received $250 and prizes including a commemorative plaque honoring the winner's teacher or mentor. Of the semifinalists, the panel will next choose 10 national finalists, who will each receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York in October for the final challenge. The winner will receive $50,000 in United States Savings Bonds, as well as the title "America's Top Young Scientist" and a trip to St. Paul, MN to work with top scientists at 3M. The finalists will be announced in October.
Food Safety
Valerie Svaldi
Grade 6, Excel Academy, Arvada, CO
Teacher: Rose Auferio
Julia Guidry
Grade 7, Washington Latin PCS, Washington, DC
Teacher: Lara Golann
Dana Tran
Grade 7, Northwest Middle School, Salt Lake City, UT
Teacher: Jason Snow
Kieran Verret
Grade 6, Barre Town Middle and Elementary School, Barre, VT
Teacher: Marge Brusseti
Preventing the Spread of Germs/Diseases
Riya Chandra
Grade 5, Mission San Jose Elementary School, Fremont, CA
Teacher: Kiranjeet Brah
Martin Kurian
Grade 8, H.B. DuPont Middle School, Hockessin, DE
Teacher: Dana Wisnowski
Patrick Perez
Grade 8, Central Middle School, Tinley Park, IL
Teacher: Jamie Calusinski
IsaBelle Kranz
Grade 6, Hamilton Elementary, Lake Station, IN
Teacher: Mrs. Stevens
William Albrecht
Grade 5, A.A. Nelson Elementary, Lake Charles, LA
Teacher: Wayne Smith
Vjola Jorgji
Grade 7, Forest Grove Middle School, Worcester, MA
Teacher: Angela Lamoureux
Jack Andraka
Grade 7, Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter, Hanover, MD
Teacher: Fatih Kandil
Megan Tammaro
Grade 7, Falmouth Middle School, Falmouth, ME
Teacher: Carrie Boudreau
Raj Raina
Grade 8, Novi Middle School, Novi, MI
Teacher: Greg Durham
Evalana Burroughs
Grade 5, St. Joseph Catholic School, Waconia, MN
Teacher: Lisa Whitaker
Aarthi Bala
Grade 8, Sperreng Middle School, St. Louis, MO
Teacher: Shana Franklin
Austin Howard
Grade 7, Howard Home School, Montana
Teacher: Jeffrey Howard
Brandon Scarberry
Grade 5, Lucile S. Bruner Elementary, North Las Vegas, NV
Teacher: Michelle Knopp
Naeha Pathak
Grade 5, Searingtown School, Albertson, NY
Teacher: Jerome Soloway
Kai Klocke
Grade 7, Cedar Park Middle School, Portland, OR
Teacher: Bryan Forbes
Danial Nasirullah
Grade 7, J.T. Lambert Intermediate, East Stroudsburg, PA
Teacher: Sheila Bove
Ratna Patel
Grade 5, New Providence Elementary, Lexington, SC
Teacher: Stacie Craps
Sydney Clark
Grade 6, Clark Academy of Science and Art (homeschool), Texas
Teacher: Camille North
Sun Protection
Matthew Shimura
Grade 7, Punahou School, Honolulu, HI
Teacher: Cathy Kawano-Ching
Elijah Barker
Grade 7, Mid-Prairie Homeschool Assistance Program, Kalona, IA
Teacher: Carolyn Barker
J. Dashiell Dale
Grade 8, Treasure Valley Math & Science Center, Boise, ID
Teacher: Stephanie Volk
Clara Ma
Grade 7, Westridge Middle School, Overland Park, KS
Teacher: Benita Holder
Matthew McInnis
Grade 8, Germantown Middle School, Madison, MS
Teacher: Melissa Foles
Savannah Morgan
Grade 8, Providence Day School, Charlotte, NC
Teacher: Barbara Morrow
Marissa Splendore
Grade 7, Rundlett Middle School, Concord, NH
Teacher: Andrea McGahan
Nicholas Venturini
Grade 7, Eric S. Smith Middle School, Ramsey, NJ
Teacher: Paul Stehle
James Wood, Jr.
Grade 7, Liberty Middle School, Mounds, OK
Teacher: Gary Younger
Wind-Resistant Structures
Jonathan Har
Grade 6, Phenix City Intermediate School, Phenix City, AL
Teacher: Brandi Shoultz
Deborah Rookey
Grade 8, Horace Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School, Little Rock, AR
Teacher: Wendy Welch
Bailey Vogt
Grade 8, Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School, Chandler, AZ
Teacher: Myrah Monson
Liam O'Brien
Grade 6, West Woods Upper Elementary School, Farmington, CT
Teacher: Jessica Buckle
Ahaan Rungta
Grade 8, home schooled, Florida
Teacher: Bill Leibowitz
Erica Kim
Grade 8, Piney Grove Middle School, Cumming, GA
Teacher: Katie Richelt
Jacob Holtgrewe
Grade 8, Paducah Middle School, Paducah, KY
Teacher: Brandon Cornaby
Christopher Riedman
Grade 7, home schooled, ND
Teacher: Karol Riedman
Clayton Bogert
Grade 8, Potter-Dix Public School, Potter, NE
Teacher: Dale Frerichs
Shreyas Chaudhari
Grade 7, North Canton Middle School, North Canton, OH
Teacher: Valerie Heban
Chesney Nagel
Grade 8, Avon School District, Avon, SD
Teacher: Paul Kahlman
Matthew Parker
Grade 5, Thomas Magnet School, Shelbyville, TN
Teacher: Cindy Hunter
Alexander Mataloni
Grade 8, South County Secondary School, Lorton, VA
Teacher: Jessica McHie
Ariel Stiber
Grade 6, Woodmoor Elementary School, Bothell, WA
Teacher: Cathy Draper
Liam McCarty
Grade 8, Brookfield Academy, Brookfield, WI
Teacher: Beth Furumo