Ann Cramer, IBM Director of Corporate Community Relations, announces new academic competition for NSHSS members at The Carter Center

IBM and The National Society of High School Scholars have established the IBM: Innovation to be Greener Awards, a unique, worldwide competition based on submissions from NSHSS members exploring their perspectives on pressing local environmental issues. The announcement was made at The Carter Center during the NSHSS member event on December 1, 2007. Submissions will be judged on practical content, innovation, and quality. The deadline is April 15, 2008. The application and guidelines will be posted online soon.

The IBM: Innovation to be Greener Awards are designed to encourage students to look for practical and innovative solutions to environmental problems. All high school students who are members of NSHSS are eligible to compete. Ten NSHSS scholars will be chosen as winners. Winners of the competition will be assigned an e-mentor from the IBM Academy of Technology.  Their personal mentor will provide the students with online academic advice and career counseling. Additionally, the top three finalists will be brought to IBM's laboratories in New York for interaction with top scientists and environmentalists.

To be considered for the awards, students will identify what are the environmental issues that matter most to their peers, families, and neighbors--the local community. Areas of interest can include, but are not limited to, the following: fresh water; trash removal, littering; drought; renewable resources that can be harnessed for energy in a range of settings; or generation of electricity free of carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions. To help find engineers or environmentalists who are willing to discuss their work, students are encouraged to reach out to local universities with engineering departments, local chapters of professional engineering associations, state and federal government, local companies, and environmental protection agencies.

In a three-five page concept paper, applicants should address such key questions as the following: How does the issue impact the community and the local ecology? Has the issue been a community priority for a long time or has it recently become important? Is there disagreement or controversy about the issue or about the solutions? How does their solution take into account community concerns? Who in the community is working to develop a solution? How would the solution impact the local ecology?  For the winning selections, innovation is the key.

Be recognized by IBM for helping to make your world greener!