Top Student Achievers Defy 'The Norm'

Twenty of America's Brightest Young Minds to be Recognized for Their Positive Contributions to Society during an Award Ceremony at The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian

Students Will Meet with Members of Congress and Receive National Awards

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by Davidson Institute For Talent Development:

WHO: Twenty students from across the country, all under the age of 18, will be honored on Capitol Hill with substantial scholarships of $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000, from the Davidson Institute for Talent Development for their significant contributions in science, technology, music, literature and mathematics, including:

• Identifying compounds that can help convert human and mouse skin cells into pluripotent stem cells;
• Creating new musical expressions and listening experiences through classical music;
• Contributing to greener methods of making medicines, pharmaceuticals and other chemical products;
• Developing a chemical-detecting robot; and
• Studying therapeutic ultrasound's potential in treating recurrent and metastatic cancers.

WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010

WHAT & WHERE:  Davidson Fellows Award Ceremony: Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (media interview/photo ops start at 6:15 p.m.), 4th Street & Independence SW; sponsored by Senators Harry Reid (Nevada) and Chuck Grassley (Iowa).

Meetings with Members of Congress: Capitol Hill – Davidson Fellows meet with Congressional representatives from their respective states and districts. Digital photos will be available upon advance request.

Davidson Fellows:  Students under the age of 18 who submit an original piece of graduate-level work recognized by experts in the field as significant with the potential to make a positive contribution to society. The award categories are science, technology, mathematics, music, literature, philosophy and outside the box (www.DavidsonGifted.org/Fellows).

Davidson Institute:  Located in Reno, Nev., the Davidson Institute for Talent Development is a national nonprofit founded in 1999 by former educational software entrepreneurs Bob and Jan Davidson  to recognize, nurture and support profoundly intelligent young people. For more information, please visit www.DavidsonGifted.org, or call 775-852-3483, ext. 424.

2010 Davidson Fellows

$50,000 Scholarships

• Mr. Kyle Loh, 16, Piscataway, N.J.
• Mr. Yeeren Low, 13, East Stroudsburg, Pa.
• Mr. Jonathan Rajaseelan, 17, Millersville, Pa.

$25,000 Scholarships

• Mr. Eric Brooks, 16, Hewlett, N.Y.
• Mr. John Michael Colon, 17, Wayside, N.J.
• Mr. Damien Jiang, 17, Raleigh, N.C.
• Miss Meredith Lehmann, 14, La Jolla, Calif.
• Miss Laurie Rumker, 17, Portland, Ore.
• Miss Anna Kornfeld Simpson, 17, San Diego, Calif.
• Mr. Benjamin Song, 16, Audubon, Pa.
• Miss Merry Sun, 16, Chappaqua, N.Y.
• Mr. James Ting, 17, Holmdel, N.J.

$10,000 Scholarships

• Mr. Scott Boisvert, 17, Chandler, Ariz.
• Mr. Alexander Gilbert, 16, McLean, Va.
• Miss Janie Gu, 16, Morganville, N.J.
• Mr. Kevin Hu, 16, Naperville, Ill.
• Miss Rebecca Jolitz, 15, Los Gatos, Calif.
• Mr. Sahil Kheptal, 17, Plano, Texas
• Mr. Jonathan Li, 17, Laguna Niguel, Calif.
• Mr. Gavin Ovsak, 16, Hopkins, Minn.

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SOURCE Davidson Institute For Talent Development