Reality Takes Down The CLASS Act

If you missed the weekend news that the Obama administration has killed a significant piece of its own health care reform, don't blame yourself. This inconvenient bit of truth was deliberately buried.

Releasing unwelcome news late on a Friday afternoon is a Washington tactic that has been around a lot longer than I have. The idea is to see that a story lands in Saturday newspapers, which few people read, preferably deep in the inside pages. This strategy worked better before so many of us started getting our news via the Internet, but it is still favored by politicians and bureaucrats who would rather keep a story off camera and out of the Rose Garden.

So it was no accident that late on Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a 48-page report acknowledging that the department could not find a way to make the health care reform's voluntary long-term-care insurance program work. The program relied on widespread participation by younger citizens whose premiums would fund benefits for an older, sicker population that requires assistance with daily living activities rather than treatment for acute medical issues.

But, as critics of the plan (and of LTC insurance generally) warned all along, setting those premiums low enough to attract young workers would not generate enough money to pay for the benefits those workers would eventually seek. Setting adequately high premiums would discourage younger workers from participating at all. Either way, the program, known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act, or CLASS, would be prone to eventual financial collapse without a federal bailout, which the health care reform legislation prohibited.

The report did not forthrightly say that the program was being abandoned. The HHS press office, which found time to issue releases last week on World Arthritis Day and the National Health Service Corps, must have closed early to beat Friday's rush hour traffic on the Beltway. The agency's home page and press pages had nothing to say over the weekend about the decision to abandon a program that was billed as a vital public service and as a tribute to the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat who championed it.

But in a deliberately low-key way, top officials put out the word that CLASS is, in fact, dead. "We have not identified a way to make Class work at this time," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told The New York Times. (1)

I spotted the Times story on my Yahoo! News feed just before I went to bed on Friday. On Saturday morning, I was gobsmacked when I picked up the pulp and ink version of the paper, scanned the front page, and found nothing about the health care reform law that has dominated our political discourse for over two years.

The top story in Saturday's New York edition of The Times was on the fear that Egypt's military may cling to power rather than promote democracy. Big chunks of page-one real estate were devoted to the hundreds of protesters (in a metropolitan area of 15 million) still occupying a privately owned park in the general vicinity of Wall Street; to a Texas lobbyist who is a longtime ally of Gov. Rick Perry; and to how natural gas development is bringing economic opportunities to a "charmed circle of local winners" consisting of waitresses, innkeepers, pipeline workers, launderers and professionals in a long-depressed area of rural Pennsylvania.

News that HHS is abandoning the CLASS Act was relegated to page A10. News judgment is a subjective thing, but I have no idea what the newspaper's editors were thinking. Maybe they presumed their American readers were more concerned with the latest political news from Cairo than with a program that was supposed to save their own federal government $86 billion over the next 10 years.

Oh, about that $86 billion - that's another oddity in the weekend story by the self-proclaimed newspaper of record. Saturday's story said nothing at all about the curious accounting for CLASS. The program was supposed to be a major element of financing the health care overhaul, because of the simple expedient that it was supposed to collect premiums for at least five years before even beginning to pay benefits. In the funhouse-mirror world of legislative scorekeeping, this counted as an $86 billion reduction in the federal budget deficit, even if the program would have ended up going broke.

The Associated Press, The Washington Post and other news outlets managed to include that aspect of the CLASS saga in their coverage of the HHS action. The Times didn't. Details can get missed when big stories break right on deadline. The people who are careful to release bad news late on Fridays are well aware of this.

CLASS fell victim to an economic reality that threatens the entire health care overhaul: Insurance is a spreading of risk, and you can't "insure" against an event that nearly everyone faces. It's not expensive to insure the life of a 30-year-old, because 30-year-olds seldom die. But it is impossible to "insure" someone against death altogether, because we all die eventually. This is why premiums are low for term life insurance that covers a young adult, while premiums are high for whole life insurance, which is designed to stay in force indefinitely, for that same young adult. Insurance companies use the extra money in whole life premiums to establish reserves, so that on average, a benefit on an insured person merely represents the return of premiums paid over the years, plus interest. Whole life insurance is really a savings account coupled with insurance protection for the few who die young.

Everyone gets sick at some point, but not everyone needs extremely expensive treatments, especially when young, so health insurance for major expenses can theoretically be affordable. But health insurance for routine checkups and vaccinations is not insurance at all; it is merely a payment mechanism.

Likewise, most people will need some form of personal non-medical care when they get very old. You can't insure against this need; you can only save for it. But if people don't have the cash to save, either directly or in LTC premiums, they won't.

The only way to make health care or long term care more affordable in the long run is to bring down the actual costs of providing those services. Last year's health reform did very little on either front. It just changed the way we pay for things.

CLASS failed to get off the launch pad because the law required that it be self-sustaining. The rest of the health care reform is no more grounded in economic reality than CLASS was, but it does not have the same mandate to pay for itself. As a result, we are going to be talking about providing and paying for health care for years.

If you want to stay on top of developments, keep an eye out for more news from Washington. Stay on your toes on Friday afternoons.

Source:

1) The New York Times, "Health Law to Be Revised by Ending a Program"

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The Republican Field Takes Shape

This is what good citizens and political junkies are supposed to do:

We watch the Presidential race unfold like it's the NFL play-offs.

So there I sat in front of my TV dutifully watching the first Republican Presidential debate from the impressive Reagan library in Simi, California. There were the prospective candidates, all lined up under the wingspan of a life-sized Air Force One that loomed over the entire audience of enthusiastic Republican supporters.

Looking at the field, it's hard to believe that anyone but Mitt Romney could possibly be elected President. Last month's frontrunner Michelle Bachmann is a strange woman, a former IRS lawyer who raised five of her own kids and 23 foster children, all while dutifully obeying her husband who professionally counsels homosexuals to "pray away the gay."

Michelle is the Gaffe Queen, getting all mixed up about Elvis Presley, the Battle of Concord and lots of other things that don't matter but that she keeps talking about and getting wrong. Oh and she also says she can make gas cost $2 a gallon - just like that! Too nutty to be President.

Bachmann became the frontrunner right after the former frontrunner Donald Trump dropped out after admitting that President Obama "probably" is a native-born American. That and the TV sweeps rating period was over, and he didn't need the publicity anymore.

The new frontrunner is Texas Governor Rick Perry, who just positively hates Social Security and Medicare and says they are "failures" that should be "given back to the states." Rick just loves to execute criminals (the GOP audience loves it, too!) and thinks that U.S. Senators should be chosen by politicians from each state and not directly elected by the voters. Hmmmmm.

Perry the Republican nominee? Obama can't be this lucky.

One thing that all of the Republican candidates seem to agree on is that taxes should be RAISED on the working poor. I hear it over and over again. Every candidate says it's wrong that 47% of Americans don't pay any federal income taxes. Everyone should have "skin in the game" when it comes to paying income taxes, the GOP hopefuls all say.

But who are these people? They're the working poor. The people who cut our lawns. Serve our lunch and pump our gas. Butter the bagels and sweep the floors. Watch over our kids and care for old folks in nursing homes. This is the backbone of America.

How can it possibly be in the best interests of the nation to make these people pay MORE taxes? They're already paying a greater share of their income in federal payroll and state sales taxes than your average millionaire. Why would anyone want to raise their taxes? I just don't get it.

Since the Republican debate was held at the Reagan Library, I just wish that someone pointed out that it was Ronald Reagan who created the Earned Income Tax Credit that reduced income taxes for lower income workers. It's too bad that all of the GOP candidates who claim to be just like Reagan have such a different point of view when it comes to helping - or hurting - the working poor.

There's no question that tax policy will be a pivotal issue in the 2012 elections.

One party wants to raise taxes on the working poor. The other wants to raise taxes on the richest 2% of America. Let's see how this debate unfolds.

Vision Media Marketing Inc. ( http://vmmi.net/ ) was incorporated in 1985 by Jean Swibinski and Paul Swibinski, who continue to direct the company. A full-service public relations and media communications firm with a long history of successfully delivering clients' messages, it specializes in public policy issues and crisis communications. To visit Vision Media's blog, VMMI Policy Perspectives, go to http://vmmi.net/blog.

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Success Takes Discipline - How to Achieve Self Discipline

Imagine getting to the stage that you do the tough things in life on auto pilot. How wonderful would that be? It takes perseverance to get to that stage. The mind does some strange things that has an impact on our decision- making process. The Sandler Sales System calls all this negative stuff floating around in our minds "Head Trash". How true is that? The self-improvement industry is chalk full of books, Cd's and online support websites of some of the biggest names in the business. All this support is directed at a never ending supply of people who want to make an improvement in their lives. Heck, I have been a supporter of the business for decades. I love it to the point that I now write about my experiences and things that I have learned along the way. As successful as I have become I still keep searching for ways to make myself better. So what does all this have to do with self discipline? Everything.

To have self discipline does not mean that you are a boring person. It does not mean that you have your life planned minute by minute. To the contrary. When you have self discipline you have a tendency to get the hard stuff done first. This affords you the time to be spontaneous. More importantly you will make decisions on what you do in your free time based on your over all goals. I believe this to be true. One of my wife's and my common goals was to own a vacation property on the ocean. Thanks to my wife's business acumen and my ability to prepare and market the property was a real team effort. It worked so well we now own two vacation properties. Too make this happen we made a huge time commitment in the form of sweat equity. All our spare time for a year was dedicated to making our dream happen. We also made the decision to rent the properties when we are not using them. We have created an income stream to pay for the properties. We use the properties as a place for us to decompress,relax and have friends by for weekends when the properties are not rented. We are building a nest egg that will help ensure we have a retirement where we chose what we can do. The reason I use this example is simple. Each property took every spare moment of our time and effort to get them to the stage we are now at. Half doing it was not an option. How good is having someone else pay for our future and present day relaxation. It all boils down to how bad you want your dreams and goals.

So how do we achieve or improve our self discipline? Here are some tips that have worked for me.

The first step is to write down a few goals that emotionally charge you. I believe when you have goals that will make you feel good, the emotional attachment will drive you to succeed. Success is imminent when you are passionate about what you want.

The second step is to enter in your diary when you are going to work toward these goals. Yes. Make an appointment with yourself. This will give you a reason to say no when something else comes along. You simply say I am working on a project right now that needs my attention. Just imagine how liberating it is when you have a commitment this strong. Success is now in your grasp.

The third step is to find an accountability partner. This will take some effort on your behalf but it will be the reinforcement of steps one and two. An accountability partner is someone who you share your goals with. I personally have one. We have an appointment at the same time each week and we discuss our progress toward our goals. So how do you feel about telling your accountability partner that you did not work toward your goal this week. Exactly. It feels awful. I have learned from experience that having the right person as an accountability partner is key. Someone who is simply a cheerleader will not do. Your accountability partner must also have realistic goals. Both of you have important things at stake. It works.

Self discipline will bring control into your decision-making process. Self discipline will remove some of the second guessing we are all guilty of. Self discipline will help you focus on what you want to accomplish. Being in control of our emotions and working toward what makes us happy is a good thing for all of us. The work can be fun too when the end result will bring you so much happiness and joy.

Paul's many years of business and life experience have provided him with the expertise to deal with complex issues regarding success and obtaining your goals. Paul has developed a passion for writing and chooses to share this knowledge with his readers and clients. Paul has lived and taught much about what he writes about. This is what separates Paul from those who have just studied it from those who have experienced it,studied it and taught it. Life is full of tough decisions and some times we need a coach to help us through that. Paul can help you get pointed in the right direction and gain control of your life once again. For more information please go to http://www.toyourfuturesuccess.ca/

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Wall Street Takes GDP Report in Stride - New York Times

Reaction was muted given that the estimate for the country’s gross domestic product matched expectations. The stock market has tapered off slightly from last month’s rally but continues to make gains amid generally upbeat corporate earnings for the quarter.

The G.D.P. growth rate was a slight increase from the previous quarter, which grew at a 1.7 percent rate. The economy expanded at a 3.7 percent pace in the first quarter.

“There really isn’t a very marked reaction,” said Keith B. Hembre, chief economist and chief investment strategist at First American Funds. “It was pretty much on consensus number, so there was nothing in the way of a surprise factor in terms of the overall total.”

For most traders, next week’s midterm elections and the anticipation that the Federal Reserve will announce new asset purchases overshadowed Friday’s data. In addition, a new survey released on Friday showed consumer sentiment, an essential driver of any recovery, was revised down slightly. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index was 67.7, down from 67.9, and below a median forecast of 68.

“This is hardly surprising in view of all the headwinds facing the consumer, most of which are likely to persist for some time,” Joshua Shapiro, the chief United States economist for MFR, said.

In late morning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 2.46 points. The Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index was flat, while the Nasdaq composite gained 3.30 points.

European markets regained ground after the G.D.P. report. In London, the FTSE 100 was 11.40 points, or 0.2 percent, higher. The DAX in Frankfurt and the CAC 40 in Paris were both up about 0.2 percent.

The dollar was broadly lower against other currencies.

Analysts and traders are sifting through statistics and corporate results for signs that the economy can sustain any momentum.

Peter Cardillo, the chief market economist for Avalon Partners, said that third-quarter results and guidance have generally performed well or exceeded expectations, and the market is on track, at least in early trading on Friday, to show a gain for the month of about 3 percent.

“The combination of good earnings and low interest rates are quite favorable for the market,” he said.

Consumer spending rose 2.6 percent, according to Friday’s G.D.P. report, the highest quarterly growth since 2006. But spending is not entirely recovered, with many households still seeking discounts and under pressure from an uncertain job market.

On Friday, Chevron Corporation, the oil company, reported a decline in third-quarter income that it attributed partly to a moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Earnings were $3.77 billion, or $1.87 a share. The figure was also a decrease from $3.83 billion, or $1.92 a share, in the same period a year ago. The results were helped by higher oil and gas prices.

Shares fell 1.7 percent, to $83, in early trading.

The financial markets are also repositioning for the expected announcement next week of a new round of quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve to help stimulate the economy. Uncertainty over the amount and timing of asset purchases is still overshadowing the markets.

Mr. Cardillo said he expected the market to remain stuck in a tight range until after the mid-term Congressional elections on Tuesday and the Fed meeting on Wednesday.

Some analysts predict the amount of quantitative easing by the Fed could be about $500 billion, at least at the start.

“I kind of think the Fed might surprise in that they might do a little bit shy of that,” he said. “If that is the case, it could disappoint the market.”

The economic figures did little to change expectations for Fed action. Nominal G.D.P., which takes into account market prices, expanded at a rate of 4.2 percent in the third quarter, a rate that an economist noted was broadly in line with the 4 percent to 5 percent range desired by the central bank.

“At this stage next week is baked into the cake,” said Dan Greenhaus, the chief economic strategist for Miller Tabak & Company, speaking about the prospect for an announcement of further asset purchases after the Fed’s policy makers meet on Nov. 3

“If anything, the data in today’s G.D.P. report provides further support, as the Fed sees it, for trying to stimulate inflation and the economic recovery,” Mr. Greenhaus said.

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Dot Earth: Obama Takes Science Push to 'Mythbusters' - New York Times

President Obama, following up on last fall’s White House “astronomy night” (above), is hosting a science fair at the White House today. Aides say he plans to honor students of all ages for pushing the boundaries of understanding of the world around us and announce that he has taped a segment for the popular show ”Mythbusters.” Details will be posted later this morning on the White House science and technology page. At the tail end of this post, you can read some background issued by the press office overnight.

According to the Caucus Blog, the show’s producers say the segment revolves around the legend that the Greek mathematician Archimedes helped destroy a Roman fleet during during the Siege of Syracuse by using the heat of the sun concentrated by an array of mirrors.

During a visit to the office of President Obama’s science adviser last spring, still in the early days of the administration, I was struck by how many photos were already on the wall showing the president peering through a telescope, examining solar panels or honoring scientists and engineers. He clearly gets the importance of scientific and technological inquiry to the future of the American economy — and prospects for a relatively smooth ride as human appetites and environmental impacts crest in the next few generations.

But does Congress? Not even remotely, if gauged by the dismal record of support for even modest programs pushed by the president.

- Investment in education initiatives to build the intellectual capital required to “Re-Energyse” American energy innovation after decades of disinvestment? Forget about it.

Republicans have led the charge for stasis (can you recall the last time a Republican lawmaker or presidential candidate laid out a serious plan for sparking an American revival through science and technology)? But I seem to recall that Capitol Hill, at least for the last few years, has been dominated by Democrats.

For one approach that might break the pattern, I urge you to explore “Post-Partisan Power.” This recent proposal from three policy research groups with a range of philosophies aims to renew the country’s focus on priming the innovation pipeline with a fresh burst of basic inquiry.

The time for stasis on science and technology and related education initiatives passed years ago. Without a sustained energy quest, there’s no way to chart a smooth ride for humanity toward and past the anticipated 2050 population crest. That’s not to say this push should be too energy centric. Re-read this post on the utter lack of international investment in food and agricultural science for more.

Humanity, particularly today’s established economic elite, has a lot of work to do. There’s a sharp curve in the road up ahead after a two-century, fossil-fueled growth spurt. With a sustained focus on education and inquiry there’s a good chance we’ll merely scrape the guardrail before rounding the bend and reaching a more balanced approach to fitting our infinite aspirations on a finite planet.

But there’s a solid chance we could fly off the road.

President Obama to Host White House Science Fair

President will Celebrate Winners of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Competitions and Announce New Steps to Inspire All Students to Excel

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Obama will host the White House Science Fair celebrating the winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions. The White House Science Fair fulfills a commitment the President made at the launch of his Educate to Innovate campaign in November 2009 to move American students from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math achievement over the next decade.

“If you win the NCAA championship, you come to the White House. Well, if you’re a young person and you produce the best experiment or design, the best hardware or software, you ought to be recognized for that achievement, too,” the President said in November.

The White House Science Fair kicks off a week that culminates with the USA Science and Engineering Festival on the National Mall and in 50 satellite locations, poised to engage more than a million people nationwide.

At the White House Science Fair, President Obama will view exhibits of winning student projects, ranging from breakthrough basic research to new inventions, and will deliver remarks congratulating these students on their diligence, desire to tackle hard problems, and drive to invent and discover.

The President will also announce his personal appearance on the upcoming December 8, 2010 episode of Discovery Channel’s MythBusters, a popular television show which uses science to determine the truth behind urban legends.

Additionally, the Administration and leading companies are taking further steps to advance STEM education, which include expanding the tools of invention so that more students can directly be the “makers of things.” This includes efforts by DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), an agency that has supported key technological breakthroughs, to place 3D printers in 1000 schools and an initiative by Autodesk to make new easy-to-use design tools freely available to students, and a viral video competition by leading Fortune 500 companies to show the rewarding jobs students can get if they achieve in math and science.

Background

President Obama has identified STEM education as necessary for laying the new foundation for America’s future prosperity. Presidential leadership on the issue has already made a difference. The President made STEM education a priority as part of the Administration’s $4 billion Race to the Top (RTT) competition.  States were encouraged to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve achievement in STEM subjects, to partner with local institutions, and to broaden participation of women and underrepresented minorities. As a result, the winning states are undertaking decisive actions to embed improvements in STEM education into their overall educational plans.

These efforts by Governors, State Superintendents, industry, foundations, and science and engineering professionals to work together with students, parents and educators demonstrates the power and potential of the of the “all hands on deck” approach that the President has called for.  The “Educate to Innovate” campaign has resulted in over $700 million in financial and in-kind support for STEM programs.

New Steps to Inspire Students to Excel in STEM:

President Obama to Appear in Episode of Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters: Showcasing his personal commitment to inspire young people to excel in math and science, President Obama will appear in the December 8, 2010 episode of Discovery Channel’s MythBusters, a television show which uses science to determine the truth behind urban legends. MythBusters has approximately 13 million viewers a week and is very popular with 9-14 year olds.  The show will also be included in the Science Channel’s commercial-free kids STEM television block as part of Educate to Innovate.

DARPA Launches “Renaissance of Wonder” Campaign: DARPA will launch two new initiatives designed to ignite creativity and to show students that scientists and engineers create things that can change the world – to spark “a renaissance of wonder.” As part of Manufacturing Experimentation and Outreach (MENTOR) program, DARPA will put 21st century tools for design and fabrication, such as 3D printers, in the hands of students at 1,000 high schools.  DARPA will use prize-based competitions and social networks to encourage teams of students to design and manufacture go-carts, mobile robots, and small unmanned vehicles. Secondly, with the launch of ENGAGE, DARPA will build on its support for the highly successful Fold-It program, which has allowed 13-year-olds to learn how to solve “protein folding” problems. The ENGAGE program will use the power of games and computer simulations to make learning personalized and engaging, and will allow researchers to gain new insights on customized learning.

New “Cool Jobs” Viral Video Competition by Leading Fortune 500 CEOs: Change the Equation, with a membership of over 100 CEOs including leading media companies, will launch a viral video contest where its companies will vie to create the best video for students on the rewarding jobs they can get if they excel in math and science.

Autodesk’s Expanded Commitment to Make Tools of Invention Broadly Available to Students: Autodesk, a leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software, is expanding their long-standing commitment to help young people develop a passion for design and engineering by providing access to software, curricular resources, and student programs. Autodesk will deliver new software that makes it possible for students to create, design, and visualize just about anything, and share those designs.

Leading Companies, Federal Agencies and Others Host Science Festival on the Mall: More than 850 corporations, trade associations, federal agencies, colleges and universities and 300 K-12 schools will come together October 23-24, 2010 in downtown DC to host one of the largest science and engineering festivals ever put on in the United States. With over 1,500 interactive exhibits, 75 stage shows and 50 satellite events in 25 states, this festival is poised to reach over a million people nationwide.

BACKGROUND ON WHITE HOUSE SCIENCE FAIR

Winners from Broad Range of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Competitions Include:

Christopher Columbus Awards, for science and technology solutions to local challengesDC Science and Engineering Fair, is the District’s largest science competitionDuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition, to write about an area of cutting-edge scienceDigital Media and Learning Competition, to have students use new media and learnDiscovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, for middle school studentseCYBERMISSION, for middle school students to design solution to local problemFIRST Robotics Competition, for best robot by high school teamFIRST Tech Challenge, for best robot by middle school teamFIRST Lego League, for elementary students to create LEGO-based robotsGlobal Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, for using local dataIntel Science and Engineering Fair, for cutting-edge science projectsIntel Science Talent Search, for original researchInternational BioGENEius Challenge, for original research in biotechnologyJunior Engineering Technical Society TEAMS, for engineering new solutionsJunior Science and Humanities Symposia Program, for original researchJunior Solar Sprint, a model solar car competition for middle school studentsLemelson-MIT InvenTeams, to have high school students invent new technologiesMATHCOUNTS, for middle school students to do innovative math problemsNational American Indian Science and Engineering Fair, for cutting-edge projectsNational Engineers Week Future City, for middle school students to design a future cityNational FFA Agriscience Fair, for projects in agriculture and food scienceNational Science Decathlon, is team events tournament in various science activitiesPBS Design Squad, for students who design and build new inventions with recyclable materialsPete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Award, to create new products using technologyReal World Design Challenge, for work on real world engineering challengesRoboCup Junior, for student projects using roboticsScience Olympiad, to test science and engineering abilities of teamsSiemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology, for original researchSiemens We Can Change the World Challenge, for environmental change projectsTeam America Rocketry Challenge, is world’s largest student rocketry contestToshiba/NSTA Exploravision Awards, to design future technology using current scienceU.S. Imagine Cup, to design software that tackles a local or global challengeUnited States of America Math Olympiad, for best math skills among high schoolU.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl, a national academic competitionU.S. National Chemistry Olympiad, to test knowledge and skills in chemistryYoung Epidemiology Scholars, for original research in public health

Exhibits at the White House Science Fair

Student Team Invents Motorized Chair for Classmate with Disabilities. Diego Vazquez and Antonio Hernandez hail from Phoenix, Arizona and represent Caesar Chavez High School’s InvenTeam, one of fifteen schools selected nationwide. They won a grant from Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop a motorized chair for positioning medically fragile students during therapies and daily living activities.  InvenTeam is a national grants program designed to excite the next generation of inventors and problem solvers through hands-on learning, while encouraging an inventive culture in schools and communities.

Middle School Student with a Winning Model Solar Car. A freshman at Central Catholic High School, Mikayla Nelson hails from Billings, Montana and represents the Will James Middle School team with their solar car. Mikayla helped build the carbon-fiber vehicle from scratch, and it won first place in the design document and fifth in the race at the Department of Energy’s Junior Solar Sprint, which is a model car race to students with a “hands-on” engineering experience.

Research on Interplanetary Travel that Wins Top Research Award. A freshman at the California Institute of Technology, Erika DeBenedictis hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico and won the Intel Science Talent Search’s top award in 2010. She developed a software navigation system to help improve spacecraft travel through the solar system from her research on gravity and planetary movement.  The Intel Science Talent Search invites the country’s most promising young innovators to participate in America’s oldest and most prestigious pre-collegiate science competition to tackle challenging scientific questions through original research and demonstrate the ability to think critically and solve problems.

Young Students Develop Safer Sports Helmets. Seventh graders Jonathan Berman, Benjamin Kotzubei, and Austin Veseliza from Los Angeles’ Mirman School won first place for the sixth grade division in the U.S. Army’s eCYBERMISSION competition. The team experimented with multiple materials for possible use in sports helmets, concluding that gel rubber remains far more shock absorbent than foam. eCYBERMISSION is a web-based science, technology, engineering and math competition for 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grade teams with teams proposing a solution to a real problem in your community.

Best Rocketry Students in US and Abroad. Jordan Franssen and Nathan Bernhardt hail from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and represent Penn Manor High School’s rocketry team. They won both the Team America Rocketry Challenge and the Transatlantic Rocketry Challenge, giving them the title of best rocketry students in the world.  The Team America Rocketry Challenge intends to spark students’ interest in aerospace careers and in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Winner of Largest Engineering Fair Takes Innovative Steps In Cancer Research. Amy Chyao, a junior at Williams High School, hails from Richardson, Texas and won first place and the Gordon E. Moore Award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for her project. She developed a photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy, using light energy to activate a drug that kills cancer cells. The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair is the world’s largest pre-college science fair competition with more than 6 million young scientists vying to attend; 1,500 finalists share ideas and showcase cutting edge ideas and compete for over $4 million in awards and scholarships.

Student Develops “Smarter Toilet” That Conserves Water. A freshman at Rome Free Academy High School, MaryAnn Bulawa hails from Ava, New York and won the PBS Design Squad Trash to Treasure competition for her invention. She used bubble wrap, plexiglass, and PVC piping to develop the Smart Toilet, which displaces water inside the tank to reduce the toilet’s water and energy consumption. The PBS television series Design Squad challenged kids aged 5-19 to reuse recycled materials by engineering the green invention for their Trash to Treasure competition. The competition aligns with Design Squad’s mission to engage kids in engineering and illustrate how it can make a difference.

Students Model New Jet Designs that Reduce Fuel Consumption. Seniors Brandon Baltzell, Carson Barnes, junior Shelby Gregory, and sophomore Carrie Deitz represent Baldwin High School’s Real World Design Challenge National Championship team from Baldwin City, Kansas. They had the best design for Real World Design Challenge’s task of designing an optimized business jet wing and tail for specific flight conditions. The Real World Design Challenge, providing professional engineering software and access to industry experts, presents high school students with the opportunity to address actual challenges in industry.

Team Invents Water Purifier That Would Benefit Rural Communities. Sonja Solomon, Samuel Snodgrass, and Lloyd Mathilda hail from Oak Ridge, Tennessee and represent Oak Ridge High School’s InvenTeam, one of fifteen schools selected nationwide. They won a $10,000 grant from Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop the “Wildcat Water Purifier,” a micro-scale hydroelectric generator to purify surface water in remote areas.  InvenTeam is a national grants program designed to excite the next generation of inventors and problem solvers through hands-on learning.

Young Students Develop Steering Wheel that Combats Distracted Driving. Tristan Evarts, Jaiden Evarts, and Bryeton Evarts hail from Londonderry, New Hampshire and represent the Inventioneers, the top team at the 2010 FIRST LEGO League World Festival. They won the Champion’s Award for creating SMARTwheel, a device to combat the growing problem of drivers texting behind the wheel. The FIRST LEGO League competition aims to engage kids ages nine to fourteen in engineering and focused its “Smart Move” competition on applying robotics and research to today’s transportation safety and efficiency problems.

Student Wins with Research on Bone Implants. Raina Jain, a senior at Freedom High School, hails from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and won first place at the International BioGENEius Challenge for her research. She analyzed whether cells adhere better to rough or smooth surfaces of Bioglass, which could lead to improved bone implants. The International BioGENEius Challenge, the premier biotechnology competition for high school students, enables students to research in biotechnology and design an original independent project.

Young Students Develop Aid for Arthritis Patients in Opening Doors. Freshmen Mary Chiang, Gulrukh Shaheen, and Thomas Wiygul from Madison Central High School in Madison, Mississippi won the Christopher Columbus Awards’ grand prize for their invention, “Arthritis Magic.” The team designed a device that allows arthritis sufferers to turn a standard doorknob by pulling downward rather than by using a twisting motion to reduce the pain of opening a door.  The Christopher Columbus Awards challenge teams of middle-school students to enact positive change in their communities through science and technology, and has attracted more than 18,000 students from across the nation to participate.

Students Model a Future City for Earthquake Victims. Eighth grade students Selin Altintas, Nurbanu Simsek, and Madina Khurishanova from Oakton, Virginia’s Pinnacle Academy represented Washington D.C. at the 2010 Future City Competition National Finals. The team developed a digital and three-dimensional model of “Yeshilist,” an imaginary city that anticipates the accommodation needs of citizens who lose their homes during an earthquake. The National Engineers Week Future City Competition promotes engineering as a creative profession by challenging middle school students to design their vision of the city of tomorrow through computer simulation and a three-dimensional model.

National Winner of Largest Student Robotics Competition. Evan Ostrow, Ryan Morris, Emily Ostrow, Gina Triolo, and Jennifer Herchek hail from Ambler, Pennsylvania and represent Team #341, Wissahickon High School’s Robotics Program. They won the Chairman’s Award, the highest honor at the 2010 FIRST Robotics Championship for their robot “Miss Daisy.” The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges high-school student teams to build robots from a kit of hundreds of parts, competing against 340 teams.

Young Students Model Novel Paper Saving Method. Eighth-graders Anika Patel and Angela Riggins from Mercer Island’s Forest Ridge School and won first place at the 18th annual Toshiba ExploraVision Awards. They developed the Ecological Paper Printing and Ink Collector (EPPIC) system recycles and reuses printed-paper and its ink created by binding an organic renewable pigment to a graphene sheet with a large surface area made using nanotechnology. ExploraVision encourages K-12 students to create and explore a vision of future technology by combining their imaginations with the tools of science.

All-girl Robotics Team Wins Middle School Challenge. Catherine Wooten, Taylor Halsey, Salia Wilson hail from Los Angeles, California and represent the Rock n’ Roll Robots, an all-girl team composed of all Girl Scouts. They won the Inspire Award, the most prestigious award at the 2010 FIRST Tech Challenge, honoring the team that performs well in all categories and deemed as the most desirable alliance partner by their peers. The FIRST Tech Challenge presents high-school student teams with the chance to design and program robots and compete against other teams in an alliance format.

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