ARLINGTON, VA, June 6, 2023 – Today, the national winners of the 31st annual ExploraVision program, the world’s largest K-12 science competition, gathered in Washington, DC to be formally recognized for their winning projects. ExploraVision is sponsored by Toshiba and administered by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA). This competition is designed to help students develop skills emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards, including problem-solving, critical-thinking and collaboration skills. To participate, students were challenged to imagine and come up with an idea for a tool or technology of the future with the potential to solve the world’s critical problems.

Fostering young minds’ interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is at the core of Toshiba—a company committed to raising the quality of life for people around the world. This commitment drove the company to partner with NSTA to create the ExploraVision competition in 1992. For 31 consecutive years, ExploraVision has helped children to expand their imaginations and have fun while developing an interest in STEM education at an early age.

Science Showcase

During the Science Showcase on June 9^th, the eight winning student teams will showcase their prototypes and self-designed project websites. The students will present to members of the press, their peers, parents, educators, previous ExploraVision winners, NSTA board and council members, and leaders in education policy. High-profile attendees include Bill Nye the Science Guy; Justin “Mr. Fascinate” Shaifer; Ryuji Maruyama, chairman and CEO, Toshiba America, Inc.;

Derrick Brent, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office; Dr. Elizabeth Mulkerrin, retiring president, NSTA; and Mr. Jorge Vidal, engineering research associate at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and past ExploraVision winner.

More Than Just a Science Competition

Over 2,000 teams entered projects in the 31^st Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition, comprised of over 6,000 students from across the United States and Canada. This year’s winners have gone above and beyond to think critically and creatively about the biggest problems facing our world, from healthcare challenges to sustainability efforts to energy efficiency. Winning projects include:

Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision 2023 National Winners

• 2023 First-Place Winners
  • Grade K-3: MasterPack - St. Joseph’s School, Seattle, WA
    Project Storyboard
  • Grade 4-6: PetConnect - Open Window School, Bellevue, WA
    Project website
  • Grade 7-9: Fungi Fabrics - W.I. Dick Middle School, Milton, ON, Canada
    Project website
  • Grade 10-12: Martian Mycrops: Transporting Perchlorate Reducing Bacteria via Fungal Mycelium to Effectively Reduce Perchlorate Concentration in Martian Regolith – The Bronx High School of Science, Bronx, NY
    Project website
• 2023 Second-Place Winners
  • Grade K-3: Project Forest – L.D. Batchelder, North Reading, MA
    Project Storyboard
  • Grade 4-6: The ER Assistant – W.I. Dick Middle School, Milton, ON
    Project website
  • Grade 7-9: Isolating and Producing Targeted Bacteriophages for the Eradication of African River Blindness – Connetquot High School, Bohemia, NY
    Project website
  • Grade 10-12: CiliaBuilder: A Hair Prosthetic for Your Ears – Alabama School of Math & Science, Mobile, AL 
    Project website

The eight national winning teams are comprised of a first-place winner and second-place winner from four groups based on grade level. Members of first place national winning teams each receive a $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity). Members of second place national winning teams will each receive a $5,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity).

For more information or to access an application for the 2023/2024 program, visit www.exploravision.org or email exploravision@nsta.org. Follow ExploraVision on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/ToshibaAmerica or join the ExploraVision Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/ToshibaAmerica.

About Toshiba
Toshiba Corporation Toshiba Corporation leads a global group of companies that combines knowledge and capabilities from almost 150 years of experience in a wide range of businesses—from energy and social infrastructure to electronic devices—with world-class capabilities in information processing, digital and AI technologies. These distinctive strengths support Toshiba in building infrastructure that everyone can enjoy, and a connected data society, and in achieving the Company’s ultimate goal, a future that realizes carbon neutrality and a circular economy. Guided by the Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future,” Toshiba contributes to society’s positive development with services and solutions that lead to a better world. The Group and its 110,000 employees worldwide secured annual sales of 3.4 trillion yen (US$25.1 billion) in fiscal year 2022.

About Toshiba America, Inc.
Founded in 1965, Toshiba America, Inc. (TAI) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Toshiba Corporation and the holding company of four Toshiba operating companies that offer a broad range of products and solutions for the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The three companies, which along with TAI are known collectively as Toshiba America Group, are Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (Semiconductor solutions), Toshiba America Energy Systems, Corp. (Power generation solutions), and Toshiba International Corporation (Industrial, power electronics & transmission & distribution solutions).

About NSTA
The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is a vibrant community of 40,000 science educators and professionals committed to best practices in teaching science and its impact on student learning. NSTA offers high quality science resources and continuous learning so that science educators grow professionally and excel in their career. For new and experienced teachers alike, the NSTA community offers the opportunity to network with like-minded peers at the national level, connect with mentors and leading researchers, and learn from the best in the field. For more information, visit www.nsta.org, or following NSTA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

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Media Contacts:
Toshiba
Sarah Geist: toshiba@pancomm.com

NSTA
Kate Falk: kfalk@nsta.org