Battle Creek students' snack bar creation may feed astronauts one day. For now, it wins them money and opportunity.
The winning students, from the
Battle Creek Area Mathematics and Science Center, won one of three grand prizes in the Spirit of Innovation Awards' Innovation Summit at the NASA Ames Conference Center in Moffett Field, Calif., by creating a healthy snack bar for astronauts.
The competition took place from April 8 to 10 and winners, none of whom have reached the junior year in high school, were chosen from 21 finalists from around the country.
Top winners receive grant money that can be used to turn their projects into commercial reality, and winners in each category receive $5,000. All finalists receive $1,000 in matching grants.
On top of that, venture capitalists often check out the participants' ideas and inventions for possible product and program launches.
The competition encourages high school students to solve the challenges of the 21st century by creating breakthrough technologies in one of four categories: aerospace, green schools, renewable energy and space nutrition.
Battle Creek's team, AM Rocks, created
Solar Flare the Star Bar. The snack became a favorite not only of the judges but of the public as it took the People's Choice Award. The award went to the team with the most votes cast during an online, public voting period. As the top vote-getter, AM Rocks received two seats on a zero-gravity flight.
The team describes the bar as a "light textured satisfying snack with a blend of whole oats, puffed rice, and dried fruits with a touch of honey and cinnamon. ... It is a chewy granola bar with an apple cinnamon craisin flavor. Solar Flare the Star Bar is a delicious and healthy 'pick-me-up' bar that keeps you going through anything."
The team says the light and portable bars can be enjoyed any time as either a meal or snack whether you are in space or on Earth.
"Our bar has the just right mix of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals that a body needs for sustained energy," the team says.
Team Members were Mikayla Diesch, Ethan Rutherford, Shannon Diesch, Naomi Joseph, They were coached by Diane Schear.
The Spirit of Innovation Awards and Innovation Summit are presented by the Conrad Foundation in partnership with the NASA Ames Research Center.
Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Julie Arnold, Griffin Communications Group
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