Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

50 Teams of Middle School Students Named National Finalists in Inaugural Year of the Bright Schools Competition

  • 04/11/17

Washington, D.C. — Fifty teams of middle schools students have been named national finalists in the inaugural Bright Schools Competition™. The competition is a collaborative effort of the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) that encourages students in grades 6-8 to explore the correlation between light and sleep and how it influences student health and performance. They were chosen among 170 teams, made up of nearly 550 students from 63 schools. From the 50 national finalist teams, first-, second- and third-place national winning teams will be chosen and announced on May 2, 2016. The complete list of the national finalists can be found at brightschoolscompetition.org.

Student projects explored various aspects of sleep, with many focused on the effects of blue light. One of the student teams explored the relationship between autism and melatonin production to help those with Autism Spectrum Disorders get adequate sleep, and another researched the difference between natural and artificial light resulting in a student awareness campaign to encourage their school to construct a solarium dome to increase exposure to natural light.

“The National Sleep Foundation is encouraged to see so many students interested in how light directly affects their sleep and academic performance” said David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation. “We congratulate the finalists on their innovative ideas and thoughtful projects. These students, teachers and parents will help bring about change in the way institutions view lighting and overall health."

Under the mentorship of an adult coach/teacher, teams of two to four students identify, investigate, and research an issue related to light and sleep as it pertains to their community and/or young adolescents. Using scientific inquiry or engineering design concepts teams develop a prototype, create an awareness campaign, or write a research proposal for the competition. Each team then submits a written report detailing their project along with a three-minute video showcasing their investigation. Projects are evaluated on the basis of several criteria, including scientific accuracy, innovativeness, and potential impact.

“Congratulations to all of the national finalists who competed in the competition this year,” said NSTA Executive Director Dr. David Evans. “We are pleased that so many students choose to use science to explore the connection between light and sleep. The students used important scientific practices, such as planning and carrying out investigations, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. These skills will serve them well in the future regardless of their career path.”

All students who enter the competition receive a certificate of participation. Students on the first-place national winning team will each receive a cash prize of $5,000; second place students will receive $2,500; and third-place students will receive $1,500. The coach/teacher of the first place team will also receive a prize package, including Vernier Middle School Probeware, an all-expense paid trip to an NSTA conference, and membership to NSTA. The second-place coach/teacher will receive an all-expense paid trip to an NSTA conference and membership to NSTA, and the third-place coach/teacher will receive membership to NSTA and a $500 gift certificate to use in the NSTA Science Store.

More information about the competition is available at brightschoolscompetition.org.

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part I

    We asked, you answered, and the results are in! Last year, we put out a call for submissions to collect our readership’s opinion on trends and predictions for K–12 and higher education facilities in 2026.

  • Texas State University Completes Stadium Renovations

    Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, recently announced that it has completed a series of additions and renovations to its football stadium, according to a news release. Formerly known as the Bobcat Stadium End Zone Complex, the Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Performance Center is an 85,000-square-foot expansion featuring hospitality spaces, banquet spaces, exterior concourses, and upgrades to the field house.

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.