STOCKHOLM JUNIOR WATER  PRIZE Prize Background In addition to Clean Water Awards presented at the Illinois Junior Academy of Science (IJAS) State Fair, the Illinois Water Environment Association (IWEA) also awards the Illinois Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) to a High School student whose science project best demonstrates the application of scientific methods in research in an area relating to our surface, underground or atmospheric water environment. The Illinois State SJWP winner will compete with other State winners in a national competition in Portland Oregon in June 2005. Transportation and all local expenses will be provided for the winner and a chaperone to compete at the national competition which is not all project presentations and judging, but fun activities too! In 2004 at Denver Colorado these included line dancing lessons at a dude ranch, horseback riding, and white water rafting. The winner of the national competition will be sponsored on a five day trip by the Water Environment Federation, of which the IWEA is a member, the Coca-Cola Company and ITT Industries to compete in the International SJWP youth award competition in Sweden. This takes place annually in Sweden during World Water Week, every August. All International students will exhibit their projects at the Stockholm Water Symposium and participate in an education and cultural exchange program culminating in the award ceremony and banquet. Selection Process The IWEA will consider our Senior Division Clean Water Award Grand Prize winner from the IJAS State Fair, and any worthy projects from Illinois regional fairs affiliated with the International Science and Engineering Fair. We will announce the Illinois State SJWP winner shortly after the IJAS State Fair, May 6 & 7, 2005. Competition Guidelines The competition for this award is for student projects aimed at improving the quality of life through improvement of water quality, water resources management, water protection, or water and wastewater treatment. The projects can apply these criteria, for example, by focusing on water environment problems or improving water management in schools, communities or watersheds. This program welcomes contestants in theoretical and applied science as well as projects aimed at solving community water problems. The projects may focus on local, regional, national or global topics. The SJWP paper guidelines are somewhat different from the IJAS guidelines. Notably, they require that: The report may not exceed 15 pages, including illustrations, lists of references and appendixes. Of the 15 pages, illustrations shall not exceed five pages. The text should be single sided, 1 1/2 spaced, unbound and Times New Roman 12 points. The report should be saved as an electronic file so it can be easily revised to meet these guidelines, if necessary, and distributed to the judges prior to the competition. The first section of the report should be a scientific summary (abstract) that briefly describes the important points of the project such as purpose, methods and materials, observations, and conclusions, and a brief explanation of how this project improves the quality of life. A detailed and accurate description of the support received from teachers, parents, scientists, etc., in carrying out the project should be included. A discussion section (which is not required by IJAS) should present the significance of your data and results. IJAS allows the conclusion section to present the significance of your data and results. Your conclusions are presented in a separate section and should be short, to-the-point and listed or itemized. This aids the judges in selecting the important points for follow-up during the interview. Our Illinois SJWP winner will have about two weeks to revise the paper, if necessary, to meet these guidelines before submission for the national competition. Go to www.wef.org/publicInfo/stockholm/index.htm for more information on this prize, including the complete guidelines for this competition. Also at this site past SJWP Winner's Project abstracts can be reviewed. Also, additional information on the SJWP and Clean Water Awards is available at www.iweasite.org. Click on the Awards link and you will find potential areas of research the student can consider including winning Clean Water Awards projects.