The Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge

When our daughter was younger, while other girls were playing with Barbies and pretend food, Amber was mixing up slime and creating science projects.  All she wanted to do was science experiments during summer breaks.

When she found her tribe of peers and teachers at a magnet school in 2nd grade she excelled even further in her love and learning for STEM subjects.

When Amber was 13 her Girl Scout Troop Leader (who also happens to be my BFF), forwarded along a national essay project for STEM.  The essay was to revolve around one of three pictures.  She chose this picture and wrote an essay on the engineering principles on how and why it could be a power core for the International Space Station.

She is now a sophomore in college majoring in the school of Arts & Technology where her future career could have her designing software for medical or defense applications, and to think it all started because of a passion for STEM in her grade school and middle school years.  So you can see why I’m a proponent of all things STEM both in our home and in the community, and why I’m excited to share with you about The Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

The Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge is the nation’s premiere science competition for grades 5-8. Through the program, young inventors have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work closely with a 3M Scientist Mentor, compete for $25,000, and earn the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”

Students, grades 5-8, are invited to create a 1-2 minute video describing a new, innovative solution that could solve an everyday problem.  No fancy equipment needed!  Videos will not be judged on production skills and may be recorded on cell phones or basic digital cameras.

Ten finalists will be chosen for their passion for science, spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and effective communication skills.

Each finalist will also receive a trip to the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, to compete at the final event in October 2016.

Thousands of students nationwide have participated in the competition and winners have gone on to do some amazing things; including speak in front of members of Congress, work with the nation’s top scientists, and pursue academic careers in the sciences.

The 2015 winner, Hannah Herbst of Boca Raton, Fla., created an energy probe prototype that seeks to offer a stable power source to developing countries. She entered the contest because she wanted to help her 9-year-old pen pal living in Ethiopia who lacks a reliable source of power and electricity.

For more information on the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, including submission guidelines, tips from previous winners and complete rules, please visit www.youngscientistchallenge.com. Submissions will be accepted through April 13, 2016.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of 3M.  All opinions are my own.
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About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNewsroom.

Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 3 million educators and over 30 million students, Discovery Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms, over 40 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at  www.discoveryeducation.com.