Parag Raychoudhury Irmo Middle School

Discovery Communications, Inc., nominated 50 of the Midlands finest to compete in the 2004 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC). As the nation’s premier science contest for students in grades five through eight, DCYSC celebrates and encourages science excellence among America’s youth, at an age when many begin to lose their interest in the field.

Four hundred students were selected from different regions around the US by DCYSC judges as semifinalists for his/her project. USC along with the SC Academy of Science would like to acknowledge and congratulate the following outstanding students on their success. Region II has three semifinalists. Graham Van Schaik, Spring Valley High School; Parag Raychoudhury, Irmo Middle School; and Katherine Moore, Dent Middle School.

Katherine Moore Dent Middle School “At a time when science and technology play an increasingly critical role in all our daily lives, there is an urgency to ensure we are nurturing the next generation of young scientists,” says Dr. Don Jordan, USC Region II Science & Engineering Program Director. “Discovery Channel’s contest responds to this challenge by engaging middle school students and pushing the limits of innovation and creativity in science.”

Graham Van Schaik E. L. Wright The Final Forty were selected from 400 semifinalists and will advance to the DCYSC National Competition this month in Washington, D.C. The Final Forty will receive an all–expense–paid trip to the nation’s capital, where they will compete for more than $100,000 worth of scholarships and special prizes as well as the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist of the Year.”