Do you have a junior-birdman inventor or scientist at home? I do, and I was thrilled to hear about this competition as an outlet for all that creative, inquisitive energy. Check this out with your kids!

Discovery Education and 3M Search For America’s Top Young Scientist

Discovery Education and 3M announce a call for entries in the 2009 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge (YSC), the nation’s premier science competition for students in grades 5 through 8. Ten finalists will be selected to receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City to compete in the final challenge in October. The winner will receive $50,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds ($25,000 cash value) and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”

Details of the competition:

Middle school students in the U.S. are challenged to create a 1-2 minute video about a specific scientific concept that relates to innovative solutions for everyday life.
Videos will be evaluated by a panel of judges based on creativity, persuasiveness, classroom suitability and overall presentation.
All video entries must be submitted online at www.youngscientistchallenge.com by May 20, 2009.
The video entry should use science to create an innovative solution to one of these everyday problems:

How can I play my music system for my own enjoyment, without disturbing the rest of the house?
What can I do to the soles of my shoes to make them better perform when I skate board?
What can I do to reduce the glare on my television when I’m playing video games
What device or method can I create which might help lower my family’s heating or cooling bills?