People with strong backgrounds in math and science are needed for today's competitive environment. But it's sometimes hard for students to equate Chemistry 101 with a job as an environmental scientist or robotics engineer.

Not to worry -- help is here. Many national and regional programs have sprung up to foster student interest in science and math.

The Young Scientist Challenge

The Young Scientist Challenge is open to middle school students in the U.S. The Discovery Channel started the program in response to a study suggesting that U.S. students were not performing well in science.

Georgia Juvelis is the director of publicity for the challenge. She says kids in elementary school perform well until about fifth grade, then performance begins to drop off.

"Kids are getting older, getting distracted by other things and science has a reputation for being a nerdy subject," Juvelis says.

Discovery selects semifinalists from kids who place in local science fairs, then brings 40 finalists to Washington, D.C., for a week. The finalists are kids who can be young ambassadors for the sciences and can communicate their projects to laypeople. The gender breakdown is usually about 21 girls to 19 boys.

While in D.C., teams of kids work on various science challenges crafted around key areas of scientific interest -- perhaps genome mapping or energy issues. The kids are judged individually based on a variety of skills, including scientific inquiry, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and communication skills.

Contestants can participate in hands-on activities. For example, they could be working with scientists in private labs at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum. One team examined dinosaur bones and other fossilized bones. They attempted to identify the animal, name the period and indicate whether it was a land animal.

Students in an alchemy challenge observed a scientist doing "magic tricks," such as instantly crystallizing a liquid into a pillar of salt and making a substance turn into an ash-generating miniature volcano. The task was to explain the science behind the trick.

A third team met with Craig Ventor, president of Celera Genomics. Celera Genomics is the group that first mapped the human genome. Using models based on genes, the students identified specific genes, gene variations and sequences.

"This hands-on learning has more impact than reading from a textbook or listening to a teacher at a blackboard," Juvelis says. "This type of inquiry-based learning is used internationally in countries like Japan, where students typically outperform American students in science and math."

Winners receive sizable cash awards. However, there are also special prizes donated by sponsors. One student visited a research depot on the Galapagos Islands that was affiliated with the Animal Planet Network. Another accompanied a Smithsonian scientist to Puerto Rico to study rainforests.

Informal Science Education Program

The National Science Foundation's Informal Science Education (ISE) program funds projects in the U.S. Program director Sylvia James says that an informal science project is one that targets students, educators or families outside of a school setting.

For example, programs for parents might help them understand national standards. Or a program might include activities that families can do with children to provide hands-on science projects.

The Native Waters award is an ISE-funded project. This program provides activities based on the science of water and water conservation. Since this program targets the Native American population, it also looks at the cultural significance of water to the community.

Another funded program is an ornithology project with Cornell University. Participants collect and submit data relating to pigeons. "Parents and child go out in pairs and observe pigeons, study color patterns, etc., and submit this data to Cornell," James says.

With a budget of $56 million, the ISE has almost 400 active awards. The website contains information about applying for funding.

James advises applicants to read the guidelines carefully and to search the online database to get a feel for what programs have been funded. "If applicants do those things, they'll be ahead of the game," she says.

Canon Envirothon

Canon Envirothon is a science competition available in both Canada and the U.S. Envirothon promotes environmental education dedicated to maintaining a natural balance and quality of life in the environment.

"Envirothon is North America's largest environmental competition for high school students," says Debbie Totten. She is the executive director of a forestry association.

After studying environmental subjects (soil, aquatics, wildlife, forestry and current environmental issues) throughout the year, the kids attend a regional competition where they are judged and tested at various field sites.

They might look at a landscape or at a soil exhibit. There could be an aquatic site at a riverbank where contestants examine salamanders, aquatic animals and fish. A forestry site could involve height management and so forth.

Winners of regional competitions in both countries compete nationally.

"Envirothon encourages kids to look for careers in environmental fields," says Totten. "I've had numerous testimonials from kids who made the decision to go on to the natural resources field."

Canada-Wide Virtual Science Fair

Science fairs are well-known projects designed to foster an interest in science. And now, the Internet makes virtual science fairs possible. Larry Oberg is the Canada-Wide Virtual Science Fair coordinator. He initiated the fair.

In its first year, 460 students across Canada participated. Contestants create websites describing science projects. The judging is based on Web site work and on the science. The fair is open for K to 12 students, but K to 3 enter as a class.

The virtual fair is funded by corporate donations. One hundred percent of the donations go into prizes, since there is little overhead and no travel expenses.

Projects tend to be either experimental or descriptive. Experimental projects start with a hypothesis. Students gather data, analyze it, then report their findings using graphs, text, photographs or video clips. Descriptive projects report on a topic using video, animations, pictures, graphs and text.

One of Oberg's favorites is an entry from a K to 3 class called From Egg to Duck. It incorporates drawings and a QuickTime video showing an egg hatching in a classroom incubator. Another project, called Spray Drift Reduction Nozzles, tests different types of nozzles for spray drift. It looks at fluid pressures and different shapes of nozzles.

"A goal for this year is to attract more contestants from remote areas," says Oberg. "I expect a ton of entries this year."

Regional Science Organizations

Regional science centers often offer educational programs for students as well as teachers. The Saskatchewan Science Center in Canada offers 14 school workshops for K to 12. Topics include environmental science, dissections, and astronomy and space.

The science center also offers traveling toolkits based on themes of climate change and forestry. The kits include a month's worth of activities and lessons for Grades 4 through 12.

Alison Knoblauch is the coordinator of education programs for the center. She says the educational programs are based on the local curriculum. The center also offers professional development for educators.

The science center's overnight, camp-in program covers three themes: farming and agriculture, space and extreme adventures. The latter includes climbing a 60-foot climbing wall and using the gyrogym, a device that simulates floating in space. "We tie all of these activities to science," Knoblauch says.

Energy education is one of the big pushes right now, according to Knoblauch. The center's Hot Science Program has proven successful at teaching students and teachers about energy consumption, energy demand and related issues such as climate change.

Engaging Science is a joint venture between Science World, the Vancouver Aquarium and H.R. MacMillan Space Center. Engaging Science helps teachers enhance their science skills. One phone call gets a teacher a professional enhancement workshop delivered anywhere in British Columbia.

"The teacher has such a huge impact on a broader base. By helping teachers, many more students will benefit," says program manager Patti Leigh.

Engaging Science also has two technology projects dealing with climate change and earthquakes. Teachers can be involved at three levels: they can use the print material; they can submit student assignments to a Web interface; or they can contact Engaging Science to participate in videoconferencing.

The Loon Lake Recreational Science program is a professional enhancement program situated in a research forest. Directed at the K to 7 teacher, the program entails five days of immersion in classroom-based interactive teaching.

Working scientists present workshops at the camps, and master teachers demonstrate how to deliver the workshops in the classroom. "Teachers take the program and feel more confident about allowing students to do hands-on activities," Leigh says. "They don't have to know all the answers. They can lead and direct students to find answers together."

Engaging Science also offers the Scientists in the School program to K to 12 classrooms. Volunteer scientists visit classrooms and give a hands-on presentation. Opening the Door is a networking program that is delivered to students in Grades 10 to 12 that are interested in a career in math or science.

Leigh is also the director of services at Science World in Vancouver. Students visiting Science World can attend educational programs with catchy names like Roller-Coaster, Rock On and Jingle Bells. Schools can also book Camp In, an amazing overnight adventure. Students in Grades 5 to 7 are offered a hands-on exploration of the gallery.

"It's a full night of fun and activities," Leigh adds.

Students, educators and families across North America will find science programs available to them from one source or another. Many of these innovative programs have already proven that they can demonstrate the real-world relevance of science to students.

Net Sites

Discovery Young Scientist Challenge

This site contains all the info that teachers and students will need

http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/dys
c/

National Science Foundation

Check out the programs available from the division of elementary, secondary and informal education

http://www.nsf.gov/

Canon Envirothon

A problem-solving natural resource competition for high school students in Canada and the United States

http://www.canadianforestry.com/html/education/envirothon_e.html

Engaging Science

A professional enrichment and learning resource program for teachers

http://www.engagingscience.org/

Kinetic City Super Crew

A very cool science website for kids

http://www.kineticcity.com/

Directorate for Education and Human Resource Programs

From the American Association for the Advancement of Science

http://www.aaas.org/programs/education/

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