Clever young inventors sought for contest

Because all great scientists started out as students, a contest searching for young inventors is getting high grades. For the past 12 years, ExploraVision, one of the world’s largest K-12 student science and technology competitions, has been tapping into and channeling the natural curiosity and creativity of children.

The program asks kids to work in teams to choose a current technology and imagine what it might be like in 20 years. More than 250,000 students across the U.S. and Canada have participated in the program so far.

Past ideas include everything from a special diagnostic glove that would allow women to give themselves high-tech self breast exams to a hovering device that would seek out and destroy land mines.

First-place winners will each receive U.S. savings bonds worth $10,000 at maturity. Second-place winners will receive $5,000 savings bonds. The program is funded by Toshiba Corporation, Toshiba America Group Companies, and Toshiba America Foundation and administered by the National Science Teacher’s Association.

To participate or for more information, please call (800) EXPLOR-9 or you can visit www.exploravision.com. Deadline for entries is Feb. 3.

This story was provided by the North American Precis Syndicate.