Students from Kentucky Take Top Honors in the ThinkQuest International Competition 2011

By ORACLE
Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Ashland, KY – August 16, 2011

News Facts

More than 33,000 participants from 52 countries tested their skills on a global stage in the largest ThinkQuest International Competition to date.

The global competition, sponsored by the Oracle Education Foundation (www.oraclefoundation.org/) (OEF), challenges students to solve a real problem using their critical thinking, communication and technology skills.
Participants presented solutions using a variety of technologies, including online applications and games, websites, photo essays, online blogs/journals, animations, and videos.
Prizes for the winners include laptop computers, school grants, and a trip to ThinkQuest Live, the inspirational awards event in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Competition Winners

Kentucky students represented two award-winning teams:
Six students - Ema-Leigh, Ivy, Madalon, Madelyn, Tyler and William from Charles Russell Elementary in the Ashland Independent district - were awarded 1st place in the ThinkQuest Projects event, 12 and under age division, for their entry “Obesity Weight Awareness Project.” The team’s project examines the causes of childhood obesity and offers a plan to help children develop a healthier lifestyle. Cynde Elkins coached the award-winning team.
Two students - Chris and Caleb, from Woodford Middle School in the Woodford County district - were awarded 2nd place in the Application Development event, 16 and under age division, for their entry “Helping Hand: Find a Worthy Cause.” The team’s application helps support non-profit organizations by connecting interested users and organizations via Facebook. Becky Keith coached the award-winning team.
The winners were selected from among 7,603 teams and represented China, Great Britain, Greece, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Moldova, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and the United States.
Teams had approximately eight months to define a problem and present a solution. An international panel of volunteer judges reviewed the entries and selected 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place winners within three age divisions for each event.
A full list of the winning entries can be viewed at www.thinkquest.org.

Supporting Quotes

“The Oracle Education Foundation is please to recognize all ThinkQuest International Competition participants for their outstanding achievements,” said Brad Saffer, Vice President, Oracle Corporate Citizenship. “These students identified real-world problems and accepted the challenge to solve them through innovative, thought provoking solutions. Throughout the process, these students developed skills that will position them for success in the classroom and workplace.”
“I am pleased that the ThinkQuest International Competition gave our Kentucky students a unique opportunity to shine. By addressing a problem that touches many communities around the globe, these students developed skills that will help them succeed in school and the workplace,” said Elaine Harrison Lane, Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) Coordinator, Kentucky Department of Education.

Supporting Resources

ThinkQuest (www.thinkquest.org/)
Oracle Education Foundation (www.oraclefoundation.org/)

About the Oracle Education Foundation

The Oracle Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization funded by Oracle. It delivers ThinkQuest, an online learning platform that helps students develop important 21st century skills, including communication, critical thinking, and technology skills. ThinkQuest includes a project environment that supports collaborative learning; technology competitions that challenge students to solve real problems; the award winning ThinkQuest Library, a learning resource visited by millions; and professional development for educators. ThinkQuest supports over 590,000 students in 58 countries. To learn more, visit www.oraclefoundation.org.

About Oracle

Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) is the world's most complete, open, and integrated business software and hardware systems company. For more information about Oracle, please visit our Web site at www.oracle.com

Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact Info

Kimberly Pineda
Oracle
+1. 650.506.8831
Kimberly.pineda@oracle.com