The Conrad Foundation announces finalists for the 2010 Spirit of Innovation Awards

SAN FRANCISCO (Jan. 12, 2010) – Officials with The Conrad Foundation today announced 25 high school teams will compete in the finals for the 2010 Spirit of Innovation Awards. The annual competition challenges students to solve real-world problems by creating science- and technology-based products that can be introduced to the marketplace.

This year’s competition challenges students to develop new ideas in the areas of green schools, aerospace exploration, renewable energy and space nutrition. The finalist teams in each category include:

Aerospace: creating an innovative product for use in aerospace exploration.

  • ARCSat, Columbus High School (Columbus, Ga.)
  • Emerson Applied Technology, Emerson Prep High School (Washington, D.C.)
  • Falcon Robotics, Carl Hayden High School (Phoenix, Ariz.)
  • GADGET Resonance, Glenbrook North High School (Glenbrook, Ill.)
  • Hexigami, D’Evelyn Junior-Senior High School (Denver, Colo.)
  • Monta Vista FBLA, Monta Visa High School (Cupertino, Calif.)
  • Teams Sun Sailors and Tenorios, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (Durham, N.C.)

Green Schools: assessing the environmental impact of their school, and creating or improving upon a system to generate a healthier, higher performance learning environment.

  • DOBB, Hobby School (Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia)
  • Green MAST, Milken Community High School (Los Angeles, Calif.)
  • TJ Delta Green, Thomas Jefferson High School (Alexandria, Va.)

Renewable Energy: creating an innovative product that uses renewable energy to change everyday life.

  • ACWa, home-schooled (Houston, Texas)
  • ChlamyPower, Ward Melville High School (East Setauket, N.Y.)
  • Emerson Renewable Technology, Emerson Prep High School (Washington, D.C.)
  • Going Green, Millburn High School (Millburn, N.J.)
  • Native Sun, Whitehorse High School (Montezuma Creek, Utah)
  • Ramana, Ramana Academy (San Jose, Calif.)
  • Team Orca, North Carolina School for Science and Mathematics, (Durham, N.C.)
  • TJ Alpha, Thomas Jefferson High School (Alexandria, Va.)

Space Nutrition: formulating a nutrition bar that meets the NASA’s spaceflight nutrition requirements.

  • Teams AM Rocks, Space Girls and Delicious, Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center (Battle Creek, Mich.)
  • Megan Cline, Sonoma Valley High School (Sonoma, Calif.)
  • Team GBN Gadget, Glenbrook North High School (Glenbrook, Ill.)
  • Team Rocket, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (Durham, N.C.)

The student finalist teams will present their products to world-level scientists, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists April 8-10, 2010 at the Innovation Summit taking place at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. The teams’ products will be evaluated for commercial viability.

Winning teams will be recognized as Pete Conrad Scholars and awarded $5,000 grants that will be shared by the schools, teachers and students to encourage the continued development of the teams’ products. Selected teams will be invited to participate in the Conrad Portal where they will be assisted in obtaining patents and taking their product to the commercial marketplace.

“The Spirit of Innovation Awards is all about real science getting real,” said Nancy Conrad, founder of The Conrad Foundation, a non-profit organization that honors the late Apollo 12 astronaut Charles “Pete” Conrad and his history of innovation and entrepreneurship. “Today’s students are our future. It’s their ideas and innovations that will help to solve the world’s most complex challenges, and ensure our sustainability.”

To prepare for the finals competition, Conrad said each team will be matched with an expert advisor who will assist in refining the team’s concept, presentation and next steps.

Beginning March 26, the public will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite teams and help select the People’s Choice Award winners. To review each team and their projects, visit www.conradawards.org.

About The Conrad Foundation

In celebration of Pete Conrad’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, The Conrad Foundation energizes and engages students in science and technology through unique entrepreneurial opportunities. By enabling young minds to connect education, innovation and entrepreneurship, the Foundation provides a bold platform for enriching human capital. For more information, visit www.conradawards.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ben Karl
TriplePoint for the Conrad Foundation
(415) 655-1681
Benjamin@triplepointpr.com