Governor Perdue Congratulates Georgia Student Finalist in Premier National Science Competition

ATLANTA. – Governor Perdue today congratulated Mathew McGuthry of Richmond Hill on being a top finalist in the 2008 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge (YSC) with his video entry on satellites and orbits. McGuthry was among ten students from across the nation announced recently in the search for the nation’s Top Young Scientist hosted by Discovery Education and 3M.

“Georgia is proud of Matthew and his achievement in this competition so far. Mary and I wish him the best in the final competition and we are happy to see Georgia represented in the finals,” said Governor Perdue.

The National Governors’ Association (NGA) partnered to sponsor this year’s competition along with NASA and Science Olympiad.

The ten student finalists will compete in the nation’s capital from October 4 to 6 for the chance to win a $50,000 U.S. Savings Bond ($25,000 cash value) as well as the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist of the Year.” NASA will host the competition finals at its world-renowned Goddard Space Flight Center, located near Washington, D.C., where students will demonstrate their science prowess in a series of team-based, interactive challenges focused on this year’s theme, “The Science of Space.” Meanwhile, the teachers will contend for a specially selected set of prizes and recognition as “America’s Top Science Teacher of the Year.”

“The Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge is an important part of our company’s commitment to science education and the belief that the next generation be able to effectively communicate complex ideas and solutions,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO, Discovery Communications. “These 10 finalists are the future science leaders in America and Discovery is so proud to be associated with so much passion, dedication and intellect that will ultimately keep the United States competitive in these critical fields.”

Robert MacDonald, President, 3M Foundation, added, “Science is at the very heart of 3M, driving the pulse of innovation throughout our company on a global basis. We have a responsibility to foster interest and development in the innovators of our future, and our partnership with Discovery provides the ideal platform for students and teachers to demonstrate just how exciting the journey of learning can be.”

The 2008 Competition

In its 10^th year, the YSC introduced a new entry mechanism for students, challenging their ability to innovatively use everyday technology to communicate basic scientific concepts. From camcorders to cell phones, YSC competitors chose any technology available to create two-minute videos demonstrating their understanding of scientific concepts surrounding “The Science of Space” theme, including the Doppler Effect, a Parabola, Why Earth’s Sky Appears Blue, Orbital Paths, Magnetic Fields, the Bernoulli Principle and the Venturi Effect. Entries were evaluated on students’ ability to understand and effectively communicate the meaning of their chosen concept, not on the sophistication of their video production. The competition was open to all middle schoolers across the country.

This year, Discovery Education and 3M added a teacher component to the competition which follows the same premise as the student challenge. With the goal of finding the nation’s top science teacher, the YSC challenged teachers to make their own videos explaining space-related concepts, including Newton’s Laws of Motion, Acceleration, Aeronautics, Centrifugal and Centripetal Force, and Scope and Scale.

For more information on Matthew McGuthry and his prize-winning video, as well as all the other finalists, please visit: www.DiscoveryEducation.com/YoungScientist.

About Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge

The Young Scientist Challenge is the nation’s premier science competition for middle schoolers. The YSC targets students in the years when research indicates their interest in science begins to fade and encourages them to explore scientific concepts and creatively communicate their findings. As a way to further reinforce its longstanding commitment to scientific innovation, 3M came on board this year as the Presenting Sponsor of the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. In addition, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Governors Association, National 4-H Council, and Science Olympiad have signed on as partners for this year’s YSC. All four organizations join Discovery Education and 3M with the common goal of engaging and inspiring every middle school student in America to explore science and share their findings.

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