SILVER SPRING, Md. and ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Discovery Education and 3M are proud to announce the opening of the 15(th) annual Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge (http://www.youngscientistchallenge.com). The nation's premier science competition for students in grades 5-8, the Challenge rewards middle school students for their science acumen, demonstration of innovation and curiosity, and communication skills. Through the Challenge, students have the opportunity to compete for $25,000 and the title of "America's Top Young Scientist."

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Encouraging students to share their passion for science, the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge asks students to create a one to two-minute video communicating the science behind a possible solution to an everyday problem related to one of the following categories: How We Live, How We Work or How We Play.

For additional information on the video topics, please visit http://www.youngscientistchallenge.com/13challenge/topics.html.

Evaluated on their creativity, scientific knowledge, persuasiveness and overall presentation, ten finalists will be selected to participate in an exclusive summer mentorship program working directly with a 3M scientist. During the program, each finalist will be challenged to create an innovation that solves a problem in society. The students will meet virtually with their mentor and will receive resources and support provided by 3M and Discovery Education. Each finalist also will receive a trip to the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minn., to compete in the final challenge in October 2013.

All video entries must be submitted online at www.youngscientistchallenge.com no later than April 23, 2013. Videos will not be judged on production skills and may be recorded on cell phones or basic digital cameras.

Since its inception, the Young Scientist Challenge has awarded more than $500,000 in student scholarships and prizes, paired students with working scientists to give them real-world insights and delivered much-needed science resources to millions of students, teachers and families across the country. Winners have gone on to speak in front of members of Congress, meet with the President of the United States, work with the nation's top scientists and pursue academic careers in science.

For more information on the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, including submission guidelines, tips from previous winners and complete rules, please visit: www.youngscientistchallenge.com.

About 3M
3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $30 billion in sales, 3M employs 84,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 65 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education transforms classrooms, empowers teachers and captivates students by providing high quality, dynamic, digital content for grades K-12 and community colleges. Powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world, Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital media, professional development, assessment tools and a passionate educator network to support districts in accelerating student achievement. Discovery Education services like Discovery Education streaming, Discovery Education Techbook and Discovery Education Higher Ed, are in more than half of all US schools and 35 countries around the world. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

SOURCE Discovery Education