ExploraVision - A Very Cool Science & Tech Competition

Competitions
ExploraVision - A Very Cool Science & Tech Competition
By Cynthia Kirkeby
Oct 15, 2008, 11:22am

Each year the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards Program encourages students to take a look at current technology and envision changes in it to make the future a better place 20 years later. Up to $240,000 in savings bonds will be awarded this year to student winners to help them with their future college plans. That's a lot of scheckles to help out with college!

EVA.Mediapolis.Team competing at the ExploraVision Awards

2008 entries are open as of October 8th, and the submissions will close January 28, 2009. Having run for 16 years to this point, be sure to look for it in future years as well.

talk to your teacher about incorporating it into their science classes. Nothing gets students as interested in a class assignment as the possibility of a prize an recognition, and with the cost of college increasing exponentially, and competition to the top schools getting harder, both you and your parents will probably be thrilled to learn:

the students on the four first-place ExploraVision winning teams will each receive a $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond,
students on second-place teams will each receive a $5,000 bond.
(Canadian winners receive Canada bonds purchased for the equivalent issue price in Canadian dollars.)
The eight teams will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip with their families, mentor, and coach to Washington, DC for a gala awards weekend in June 2009.
Activities will include a visit to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress, a Science Showcase during which the students will display and demonstrate their winning ideas, and sightseeing.

The ExploraVision program, sponsored by Toshiba and administered by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will surely make a spectacular addition to your college application as well, if you place in the competition.

EVA.Durham.Team competing at the ExploraVision Awards

“The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards program gives students the opportunity to do what scientists do every day—use real science to solve real problems—and it shows them how exciting and rewarding it can be in the process,” said Dr. Francis Eberle, Executive Director of NSTA. “Last year’s winning teams proposed future technologies that could help solve some of the world’s most pressing energy and environmental pollution problems."

In the 2008 competition, for instance, winning teams proposed future technologies that ranged from renewable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics to a device that could remove carbon dioxide from car exhaust. A “Wavemaster” that would harness the power of the ocean for clean renewable energy was also created in response to the ExploraVision challenge. For their projects, student teams in 2008 researched existing technologies to conceptualize future advancements in the fields of nanotechnology, bio-plastics, genetic engineering, GPS satellite systems and more.

Don't miss out on up to $240,000 in savings bonds that will be awarded this year to student winners whose innovative ideas combine imagination with the tools of science. We know that students on ClassBrain have awesome imaginations and that you will surely come up with some amazing entries for this competition, so please don't hesitate to send in an entry. Toshiba laptop computers for schools and other prizes for students, teachers, and mentors will also be presented.