Beacon Hill Middle Schooler named state merit winner in 3M Young Scientist Challenge
Following the Truth Walk in Decatur on Saturday. June 11, 2022, Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Secretary Paul McLennan and Co-Chair Fonta High hold a banner with the new name of city of Decatur’s Middle School. The City Schools of Decatur School Board voted to rename Renfroe Middle School to Beacon Hill Middle School at its May 10 meeting. The name change will take effect on July 1. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Decatur, GA — Discovery Education and 3M have announced 31 state merit winners in the 2022 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Katherine Webb, a Beacon Hill Middle School student, was recognized as one of the winners.
Webb is an eighth grader at Beacon Hill, and her submission focused on converting sound into electricity.
The challenge features innovations from young scientists that utilize the power of STEM to improve the world, according to a press release.
The 3M Young Scientist Challenge asks students in fifth through eighth grade to identify an everyday problem in their community, classroom or the world and submit a one- to two-minute video showing their solution and the science behind it.
Judges included 3M scientists and leaders in education across the nation. They evaluated the entries based on scientific knowledge, creativity and communication effectiveness.
“At 3M, we are committed to unlocking the power of our people, our science, and our ideas to reimagine what comes next. The ‘3M Young Scientist Challenge’ supports young innovators who have demonstrated that same passion to create what’s next and see their creative discoveries unfold and improve the world around us,” said Karina Chavez, senior vice president, and chief strategy officer at 3M. “We are thrilled to welcome the latest generation of finalists and honorable mention recipients, and we are energized by a future that embraces STEM-for-all and what it can do for the world around us.”
This year’s winners were selected for their passion for STEM, superb communication skills and innovation. Webb was the only winner named from the state of Georgia.
“We applaud the creativity and thoughtfulness of each of the 2022 State Merit Winners. Your leadership is an inspiration and you’re already changing the world for the better,” said Amy Nakamoto, general manager of social impact at Discovery Education.
The top 10 finalists in the challenge will travel to 3M’s innovation center in St. Paul, Minnesota, to participate in the final competition on Oct. 17-18. The finalists will be announced on July 7.
To see the full list of the state merit winners, click here.
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