Twelve Teams Get Top ExploraVision Honors

  • 09/01/97

Twelve teams received top honors in the 1997 Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards, which attracted 5,000 entries from K-12 schools in the U.S. and Canada. Working in groups of three or four with a teacher/adviser, students imagined a form of technology 20 years from now and illustrated its potential benefits.

One of the first-place finalists, a team from Cross Street Elementary School in Williston Park, N.Y., envisioned a "trash tummy" device that, much like the human digestive system, processes garbage -- extracting and recycling minerals and breaking the rest down into a clean mixture that can be used for fuel or fertilizer. Two other first-place teams described technologies that could cure many types of blindness.

Each of the four first-place teams received a $10,000 U.S. savings bond. Each second-place team received a $5,000 U.S. bond (or comparable Canadian bond). The ExploraVision Awards are funded by the Toshiba Corp., the Toshiba America Group Co.. and the Toshiba America Foundation, and administered by the National Science Teachers Association. Toshiba/NSTA, Arlington, VA, (800) EXPLOR-9, www.nsta.org/programs/explora.htm.

Write 211 on Inquiry Card

Featured

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.

  • toolbox featuring a circuit-like AI symbol and containing a screwdriver, wrench, and hammer

    Microsoft Launches AI Tools for Educators

    Microsoft has introduced a variety of AI tools aimed at helping educators develop personalized learning experiences for their students, create content more efficiently, and increase student engagement.

  • laptop displaying a red padlock icon sits on a wooden desk with a digital network interface background

    Reports Point to Domain Controllers as Prime Ransomware Targets

    A recent report from Microsoft reinforces warns of the critical role Active Directory (AD) domain controllers play in large-scale ransomware attacks, aligning with U.S. government advisories on the persistent threat of AD compromise.

  • Two hands shaking in the center with subtle technology icons, graphs, binary code, and a padlock in the dark blue background

    Two Areas for K-12 Schools to Assess for When to Work with a Managed Services Provider

    The complexity of today’s IT network infrastructure and increased cybersecurity risk are quickly moving beyond many school districts’ ability to manage on their own. But a new technology model, a partnership with a managed services provider, offers a way forward for schools to overcome these challenges.