Archived Information

![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0in" height="0.4618055555555556in"}Center
for Collaborative Research & Education

**K-12 Science Initiative Brief**

**Secretary's Summit Goal 2: Engaging the Public**

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| **DuPont Challenge Science Essay Contest**                            |
|                                                                       |
| **Initiated:** 1986 **Grade Levels:** 7-12                            |
|                                                                       |
| **Location:** United States & Canada                                  |
|                                                                       |
| **Primary Partners:** DuPont, General Learning Communications         |
|                                                                       |
| **Number Affected:** \~11,000 each year                               |
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| **Project Purpose**                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| **Goals:** To promote the importance of the role of effective         |
| communication in documenting, interpreting, and disseminating         |
| scientific knowledge, especially the role of written communication.   |
|                                                                       |
| To engage science teachers and English language arts teachers in a    |
| cross-disciplinary exercise that emulates real world practices in     |
| scientific reporting.                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| **Primary Activities:** Library Research; Literature Review; Research |
| Analysis; Expository Writing; Scientific Reporting.                   |
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| **Project Summary**                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| The DuPont Challenge Science Essay Contest recognizes the important   |
| role of the language arts in the scientific method by inviting        |
| students to write a 700-1000-word original essay on a science topic   |
| of their choice. Students can choose a topic related to a scientific  |
| or technological development, a scientific event, or a scientific     |
| theory. Like the journal reports and research essays of working       |
| scientists, students' essays are expected to exemplify careful        |
| thought; insight; objective research; clear writing-- including use   |
| of appropriate format and citation; and genuine concern and           |
| enthusiasm for an important topic in science. Essays are judged at    |
| four levels in two divisions, the Junior Division (grades 7-9) and    |
| the Senior Division (grades 10-12). Top winners receive a recognition |
| award and a scholarship award, with the First Place Winner of each    |
| division also earning a three-day trip (with his or her parent and    |
| science teacher) to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX for a     |
| tour of NASA facilities, a meeting with an astronaut, and an awards   |
| luncheon.                                                             |
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| **Project Accomplishments/ Results**                                  |
|                                                                       |
| **2002:** More than **110,000 entries** received since inception.     |
|                                                                       |
| **2002:** Assisted by CCRE, **DuPont India** implemented a **Science  |
| Essay Contest** for Indian students modeled on the DuPont Challenge   |
| in the U.S.                                                           |
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| **Forward Plans**                                                     |
|                                                                       |
| Expected to continue annually.                                        |
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