“OMG! Did u hear that Jesse James cheated on Sandra Bullock?! What a JERK! “

Image courtesy of TheKat11

This is one of many examples of texting that has made the availability and spread of information so easily transferable. While texting can be convenient, speedy and far-reaching, there is a form of texting called “sexting” that can become dangerous, damaging, and in some cases, illegal.

Sexting is defined as “the act of sending explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones.” It’s hard to believe that anyone would allow themselves to be exposed and pose potential embarrassment to themselves or another party, yet sexting affects a vast amount of adolescents who exchange risqué information carelessly without thinking about the consequences. In fact, 20% of teens (13 to 19) and 33% of young adults (20 to 26) claimed to have sent nude or semi-nude photographs of themselves electronically according to a 2008 Cosmogirl.com survey of 1,280 teenagers and young adults of both genders. Another 39% of teens and 59% of young adults from that survey had sent explicit text messages.

If you know someone a little more difficult to get through to, make mention of a legal case involving a 17-year-old girl sending nude pictures to her former boyfriend. After having an escalated fight, the pictures began to circulate at their high school and the girl was the one charged as an “unruly child” based on her juvenile status. That may steer them away from sexting!

Teenagers are not the only culprits as many adults have been “caught in the act” of sexting. Case in point, take recent scandals involving Tiger Woods and another with Jesse James who both, through sexting, were exposed by their mistresses to be cheating on their wives. The damage plagued not only the sender of the messages but their entire families and careers.

The media also has acknowledged the relevance of sexting in today’s society and incorporated it into television programs such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the new generation of 90210. Ludacris even has a bonus song entitled “Sexting” featured on his new album, “Battle of the Sexes.” Newspapers and Web sites employ the term “sexting” regularly in article titles such as, “Joslyn James Denies Provoking Tiger Woods Sexting, Promises More Sordid Details Shortly” from Thehollywoodgossip.com. This exposure to the relatively new term prompts me to believe it will be in this year’s edition of the dictionary.

Behind all of the media hoopla and scandals, the message is clear. No matter how many abbreviations and acronyms are used; “Sxting in soooo not kewl…B safe & b smart! ”

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Image courtesy of Csmonitor.com

It’s simple. One little oxygen atom bonds to two hydrogen atoms and there you have it ― crisp, clean water. One of the most used and taken for granted resources out there, water has its very own day of observance. The international honoring of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro.

Here’s a scary fact: The UN says that dirty drinking water kills more people than violence. Nearly 20% of the world’s population does not have appropriate access to adequate drinking water. As the population increases, so will the number of people without attainable water sources.

This year, World Water Day fell on March 22. It was a day of accordance and action to draw attention to the issue of the lack of access to safe drinking water. We are reminded of how the availability of clean water and safe sanitation shapes human lives in so many ways. It impacts human health and the survival of young children. It influences school enrollment and learning. It affects the burden of securing water for daily living, and it changes the health of ecosystems that sustain life. Access to safe water and sanitation is a key driver of human development. It’s 90% of what we are all made of, yet almost all dirty water is washed into oceans and rivers before being decontaminated.

So what can we do about it? First off, the UN is urging everyone to make sure that leaky pipes and fixtures are taken care of. We don’t want any excess being wasted. The World Water Day meeting even called for water recycling systems and multi-million dollar investments in sewage treatment works.

On a more individual level, and I know we’ve all heard it before, stop with the plastic bottles already! Even though the FDA has approved all plastics currently, they might not all be safe. An estrogen-like compound in plastic could be posing risks to the brain development of infants and children, and may even lead to breast cancer in the long run.

Personally, I recommend avoiding plastic food containers as much as possible. Never put hot food in plastic or use plastic dishes in the microwave, as heat increases the leaching of BPA and other toxins. As of right now the best alternatives are glass and non-plastic titanium bottles. More and more companies are coming out with cute styles and patterns to keep eco-friendly.

World Water Day was created to raise awareness about sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the increasing challenges in water management. By encouraging governments, organizations, communities, and individuals around the world to engage in proactively addressing water quality issues and then ultimately restorative projects for more than just one day, maybe every nation will finally have the bare necessities.

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A recent e-mail reminded me of the fast-approaching reality of my last semester of college. I received the message from the Registrar’s office at my university, giving me the date I’ll pick my classes and a reminder to apply for graduation. “I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman” by Britney Spears immediately ran through my head. (I’m not entirely sure why since Crossroads was a terrible movie and the song always felt a little hokey.) Nonetheless, here I am at the edge of that last bit of childhood (we can still get away with some immature stuff in college) and on the threshold of adulthood.

I realize I’ve taken college for granted. It’s busy and challenging, but life is never going to be the same. Instead of a few hours of class a day or work, it’ll be a 9-to-5 day with bills, rent, car payments, insurance, benefits, and a whole lot of other things I can’t fully grasp yet. It’s a little overwhelming. There’s security and comfort in my campus life.

When I’m overwhelmed now, I make to-do lists to help me look ahead and know what to expect. I feel like I have some order and control when I can visualize what needs to be done and then cross it off (that’s the best part). My lists now consist of classes, work, readings, the occasional paper and miscellaneous club meetings. But what will my real world to-do list look like? Here’s my guess:

• Start the day fully showered and in appropriate attire. Rolling out of bed an hour before needing to be somewhere isn’t advisable and sweat pants do not make a wardrobe.
• Make actual dinners. Ramen noodles, frozen pizza and instant mac-n-cheese are not the best diet staples.
• Be the friend/co-worker/partner I would like to have. If you send good karma into the world, it will all come back eventually
• Eliminate the constant use of the word “like.” It’s fine when giving an example or expressing an enjoyment for something. It’s not OK when it is said every few words.
• Caffeine is great – in moderation. Four cups of coffee in the morning, a soda at lunch and an iced vanilla latte in the afternoon is probably excessive.
• Call Mom at least once a week. This can’t be sacrificed because moms have a power to make you feel better without having to do much.
• Achieve self-actualization. (Self-actualization: the achievement of one’s full potential through creativity, independence, spontaneity and a grasp of the real world.)
• Be OK with the fact that all of life is a journey to reach self-actualization. I’m just one step closer with every experience.

This may not be the most thorough list, but I know it will probably change as life changes. I’ll accomplish things or realize I may never accomplish them and that can be OK, too. For now though, it seems to be the right to-do list for the next step.

Ashley Thill, college, graduation, Real Life, self-actualization, to-do lists Hide

2010 LUNAFEST film montage image courtesy of Lunafest.org

What has been popular for over 10 years, travels to more than 100 venues internationally and is focused primarily on women? I know what you are thinking, but it’s not George Clooney! It’s a film festival made by, for, and about women called LUNAFEST that takes place from October through June annually.

Founded in 2000 by LUNA, the makers of the whole nutrition bar for women, LUNAFEST aims to take focus on women’s issues, highlight female filmmakers, and donate 100% of all proceeds towards worthy women’s nonprofit organizations in North America. Fifteen percent goes to the Breast Cancer Fund and the additional 85% contributes to the hosting community organizations.

At present day, only six percent of the 250 top-grossing films of all time have been made by women. LUNAFEST believes in the power of female filmmakers and the conviction of their unique material that doesn’t always conform to mainstream media. These projects would not usually have this level of exposure if it weren’t for the platform LUNAFEST provides. No matter the notoriety of the filmmakers, the festival offers a chance for anyone to become involved. As extra incentive, LUNAFEST awards all selected filmmakers a monetary sum of $1,000.

This year’s film list includes the directorial debut of Courtney Cox for The Monday Before Thanksgiving starring Laura Dern. In all, ten short films are showcased in this year’s festival; all of which share various stories about women from the mysteries of childbirth to a woman in her 40s who comes to the realization that she doesn’t need a man to provide her happiness.

LUNAFEST offers the opportunity for communities to host their own LUNAFEST screenings from October to June. In order to qualify, an organization or group that promotes women empowerment and/or awareness can submit an application online. The Web site also gives tips on how to plan a successful event with templates and timelines. What a fantastic way to create exposure, raise funds, and support worthwhile causes all through one event!

The automatic 15% of the proceeds the Breast Cancer Fund receives is used towards eliminating environmental causes of cancer through policy initiatives, education tactics, campaigns and by urging changes be set in motion to impede the now growing epidemic. LUNAFEST has raised over $300,000 for the Breast Cancer Fund to date.

So, do a little research of your own to see if there is a LUNAFEST coming to a region near you or encourage a nonprofit in your area to sign up to host one in the future. And let the magic of women’s creativity come alive!

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Okay ladies, our turn. Yesterday’s conversation about REAL MEN was a one sided perspective and I owe it to my brothas to play devil’s advocate and hold my girls (including myself) to the same critique. Not to mention I’m feeling guilty that three guys from my past felt it necessary to contact me and apologize thinking I was referring to them (one whom I literally haven’t spoken to since 8^th grade). For the record, all you guys are off the hook and just so ya know, my blogging for a “chick empowerment company” is never used as vindictive venting. Trust me, the guy I was referencing heard it straight from the horses mouth, I’m a “tell ya to your face kinda girl.” After all, I’m a writer and like musicians, authors, and comics, if you’re in my life, you very well may be mentioned in my blogging chronicles, so deal with it (said with a wink and a smile).

Needless to say, part of growing up a tomboy means that I basically lived in the equivalent of a locker room and was privy to “guy talk.” While I’ve certainly heard the horror stories of guys, I’ve heard just as many if not more about girls gone bona fied crazy and I have a deep compassion for some guys. Because for every bad guy apple out there, sits an equally rotten girl apple. I’ve witnessed firsthand manipulation, purposefully induced jealousy, lying, cheating and passive aggressive anger cloaked in words like “fine.”

Ladies, if you have the audacity to expect a real man to waltz into your life, you better be using the right bait, by first being a woman who is deserving. That means that you are willing to set aside your games, your coy, confusing communication and tell them what you want. And I’m preaching to the choir here but if you’re not confident in the first place to express your expectations, you have no authority to enforce them. Part of stepping up to the plate as a woman is knowing what YOU want and being clear about it. Despite what we’d like to think, they can’t read our minds.

You have to realize that our subtle, body language driven communication is at times cryptic, convoluted at best and thoroughly frustrating for guys. Guys are pretty simple creatures and lets be honest, we’ll extract our own meaning from their actions, create entire realities and scenarios that have never happened to justify our latest rant. Some call it creative, but behind our backs they just call it crazy. The point being is that a truly powerful relationship requires communication, authenticity and vulnerability.

The golden rule transcends all relationships. The cliché, “all guys are dogs” is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Part of owning the responsibility of growing up beyond our childish imagination is giving up the dream that some perfect prince charming is going to walk into our lives and then, magically we live happily ever after. That doesn’t mean we can’t have high expectations, but have real ones about the things that matter and choose our battles wisely. Guys aren’t custom built cars, they come “as is, final price” and you can take it or leave it, but you  can’t take it and then start fixing it up and changing it.

If you want a great guy, you gotta be a great lady. As Kenzie mentioned to me, if you keep going for the gorgeous heart breakers, then it’s your fault. Fool me once… you know where I ‘m going here. And there’s nothing wrong with chasing down what you want and not waiting at home, thinking that the deliveryman is going to leave a perfect man package at your door, bow and all.

Confidence is sexy, intelligence is sultry, and passion turns you from a black and white, single dimensional page to a vibrant three-D bombshell. But you have to know yourself, be comfortable in your own skin and own it. While I may be frustrated by the plethora of “Man Boys” I’m equally annoyed by the volume of walking, “Comatose Barbies” robotically consuming instead of contributing. If we have the audacity to raise the bar for men, it’s arrogant to think we’d be successful without raising the expectations for ourselves.

There is nothing more powerful than a woman who knows her worth, but with that comes a monumental responsibility to handling a man’s heart with the same tender care you would want yours held. It means appreciating the good ones and stop thinking you can turn bad boys to saints. I have witnessed firsthand the disappointment and heartbreak of my brothers and my best guy friends. Despite what we think, they too are human, vulnerable, scared of getting hurt and deserve the same maturity, responsibility and honesty that we expect from them.

There are plenty of great guys out there and just because you run across a few bad apples doesn’t mean you can throw the baby out with the bathwater. It means you have to stay focused on being the best version of yourself and trusting that when it’s right, if it’s right, you’ll meet some awesome guy and it will be awkward and beautiful, confusing and completely worth it. At the end of the day, men and women alike, all have our issues, our insecurities and baggage but if you can love someone, imperfections and all, you got something to fight for.

alexis jones, i am that girl, REAL WOMEN Hide

Moments before the earthquake that shattered Haiti struck, children played games and sang songs in the street. One group smiled and laughed as a Twister board covered a section of pavement. They stretched and bent their bodies in awkward directions according to the instructions from the spinner, joking and giggling the entire time. As we’ve seen, the story that followed is not as cheerful.

Karen Sampson, a nurse who has traveled to Haiti for 30 years, found herself trapped overseas after the 7.0-magnitude quake left the city of Port-au-Prince in shambles. Having just cleared customs, Sampson grabbed her luggage and headed toward the airport parking lot to take a cab to her hotel. Before she could get in the taxi, the earth started shaking violently.

“It felt like you were surfing, like there were waves under your feet,” she said.

The cab driver grabbed her with one arm and the front of a nearby pickup truck with his other to steady them. The trembling stopped after 20 seconds.

“We had no clue that there really was any damage,” Sampson said. “Everything looked normal. The airport looked perfectly fine.”

After a stop at the driver’s home to verify his family was all right, Sampson proceeded towards her hotel. A few minutes of driving and a climb over some hills brought a shocking sight.

“That’s when we saw everything you see on CNN,” she said.

Bodies crushed. People screaming in hysteria, fleeing from the wreckage. The smiling faces of the Haitian locals had transformed into lifeless bodies, mangled frames, children without parents and parents without children. The scene was almost too much for Sampson to take in.

At this point traffic had come to a halt. Three hours later, Sampson reached her destination, trying to make sense of the situation. As Sampson was standing in the lobby, a woman with a broken arm ran in seeking medical assistance. It had been crushed when a piece of building fell, killing her baby in her arms. Sampson, with a group of fellow Americans, escorted her to a Doctors Without Borders station and made plans to help.

After a long, exhausting and trauma-filled night, Sampson was escorted home in a military plane. She said it was an awe-inspiring experience.

“The military did an amazing job,” she said. “It was like nothing I’ve ever seen or experienced.”

By 3 p.m. Friday, Sampson returned safely home to an eager family. Most of her packed belongings had been left in Haiti, but she didn’t mind.

“I got to hug my family, so all is well,” she said.

The experience definitely left Sampson changed. Despite the haunting images that will surely remain fixed in her memory, she has never been more proud to be a nurse.

“I did what I could, but there were so many more who needed help,” she said. “There was so much blood. I can only pray for what I witnessed.”

Ashley Sepanski, cnn, Doctors Without Borders, Haiti, Karen Sampson, nurse, Port-au-Prince Hide

Dating disappointment number 3,421. After patiently listening to my latest rant on subpar guys and their ridiculous antics, my dear friend Kenzie bluntly responded, “You realize Jones, you’re the only common denominator here.” Not necessarily the sugar and spice I was looking for, but you gotta love friends who give it to you straight. And yet for some bizarre reason, I always think “but, this guy is different.” Well here’s the deal ladies, I wish I could have tape-recorded the conversation I had with my brothers yesterday about my latest dating disappointment. If you know anything about me, you know my four older brothers and my dad are the most awesome, integrity-full men with an unparalleled reverence for women. So, yeah I’ve been spoiled with exceptional men in my life and my unapologetically high expectations are due largely in part because unlike many girls, I know REAL MEN do in fact exist.

Unlike the petty girl game of questioning ourselves, replaying every situation in our heads, pursuing old texts and critiquing what we did wrong; I have an unwavering foundation and accountability that doesn’t allow me to go there. This Sunday as my whole family went on a picnic to the wild flower reserve; it was my dating life that served as the topic of conversation. They went as far as to call one of my brothers not present to divulge the latest comic strip of my personal life. While there were certainly unwarranted jokes at defenseless guys, patronizing antidotes about the latest, greatest “winners” in my life all conveyed with an overall playful, “tough love” approach to dating advice; there was a brother bear, daddy bear undertone that was laced with anything but humor and that is what I wish all you had the luxury of knowing.

You see real men ladies, not the boys we’ve played with up until now in our lives, the ones that never had any intention of meeting our expectations in the first place and who don’t know the awesome responsibility and preciousness of being handed a woman’s heart; those boys aren’t worth your time. I don’ think I need to expound on where you end up with those guys because I have a feeling you all have your own battle wounds, insecurities, and scars left from the immature recklessness at your heart’s expense.  And no joke, my older brothers are the ultimate litmus test because real men recognize and appreciate the same in others, they sense a maturity, a sense of responsibility and willingness to selflessly, and with great honor fight for and protect the woman in their life. On the other hand, they know a coward when they see one, they smell fear and they can dissemble a false sense of modestly in two seconds flat. While I may not have the same animal instincts (and sadly, it usually takes me finding out for myself in most cases), I’ve begun trusting their judgment, I’ve seen the proof in the day after, “I told you so” and I know that no matter what, I’m their baby sis and that makes it their job to suss out the less than.

So yesterday, after a bashing session of their favorite “low points” in my dating life, my brother sat me down  and with absolutely conviction, in lieu of my childish disappointment (and if I’m being completely candid, my bruised ego and heart) he reminded me of my worth,  he reminded me of my value. He sat across from me and as I fought back the tears, he described the guy who does deserve me, the caliber of man who’s up for the awesome challenge of an equal and the lucky son of a %#*@& who gets to be a part of our family. He told me I was beautiful, capable, that I have an unbridled passion to make this world better, complimented my bravado, emphasized my golden heart and my unwavering faith that shines from within, “That alone,” he said, “will weed out the riff raff who know they aren’t up for the challenge.” Like the sword in the stone, most guys won’t even step up to the plate because they area already know they don’t stand a chance or deserve such a reward.

My brother’s pep talk was one for the history books. My dad’s embrace and that look in his eye when he says I’m his “greatest treasure” means settling isn’t an option. I can’t imagine that my brothers and my dad will give me up easily, but certainly not to those undeserving. Ladies, the point is to remind you that they do exist. Real Men. They are out there and like diamonds in the rough, they are far and few between, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of the hunt. And you may have to sift through a lot of imposters, glossy packages with no substance, “man boys” who talk a big game with no way to back it up and your heart may have to get a bit bumped and bruised but it’s well worth what lies in store if you hold out, I promise.

You are worth a confident man who knows what he wants, and what he wants is you. Live your life, run your race and wait for the guy who can keep up with you, who makes your life better and recognizes the honor it would be to lean over to his friends and say, “that one there, she’s mine.”

But first and foremost,  is starts with knowing you’re worth it and in case you haven’t heard it today my dear, you are precious, you are lovely and perfectly flawed…. Ask Poppa Jones and the four big bears… they are certainly here to remind you in case you’ve forgotten.

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“I remember he came to our door and asked to see her,” Olga Rodriguez said. “He kissed me on the cheek as he always did. He apologized for his constant calling that day and said his head was all messed up, that he [just] wanted to talk to her.”

Image courtesy of Royaltyfordaniela.org

Unfortunately no one could have predicted the events that would abruptly alter the Huertas family forever.

Loud shots echoed from a back bedroom of their Houston home.

“The last thing I remember was screaming after seeing him there with the gun in his mouth,” Rodriguez said. “I never in a million years thought he would do something like that. I knew he loved her.”

On August 19, 2007, three months pregnant and just one month into her marriage, 18-year-old Daniela Huertas died at the hands of her husband.

In memory of the devastatingly tragic event that happened to the Huertas family, Daniela’s aunt Olga Rodriguez created ROYALTY, an acronym for Reaching Our Young & Adult Ladies through Yesterday’s Tragedy. ROYALTY is a Houston-based nonprofit organization striving to educate and inspire young men and women about the dangers of domestic violence. Rodriguez travels around to Houston-area middle and high schools lecturing on the importance of making wise dating decisions and remaining self-reliant.

For 2010, Rodriguez has created a full-page calendar filled with pretty little girls in Easter dresses, at birthday parties, dance recitals and Fourth of July picnics. The saccharine snapshots serve as a grim reminder of the threat that young women face in abusive relationships. The 12-page spread features 12 different girls including three from Houston all with similar stories; they were killed by abusive partners. Rodriguez hopes her calender and Daniela’s story will resonate with listeners.

Domestic violence can be defined as the “willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another.” It is a widespread disease that affects individuals in every community, with no consideration to age, class, race, religion, nationality or educational background.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), “an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner.” It must be noted however, that there are always those incidents which occur but are never reported or are classified in ways which make it difficult to determine their true nature.

Domestic violence can result in anything from physical injury, psychological trauma, and sometimes even death. The consequences crosses generations and can truly have lasting effects on the individuals involved.

Danielle Francis, domestic violence, Houston, Olga Rodriguez, ROYALTY Hide

Image courtesy of colorfull_stocks

Young girls everywhere are under attack by the changing times and the changing media. Since when did 10-year-old girls become familiar with curling irons, straighteners and makeup? What parents are giving the OK for their girls to leave the house in miniskirts and low-cut tops? And, perhaps most importantly, why are these girls considering becoming sexually active?

It’s not exactly a new argument, but today’s youth has the misfortune of having the worst role models to date. Young stars like Miley Cyrus and Jamie Lynn Spears are sending messages leading young girls to think it’s alright to be promiscuous.

Jamie Lynn Spears, for example, was a young star on a Nickelodeon show called “Zoey 101” aired at a time where girls age 10 to 14 would be free to tune in. The show about kids living at a boarding school dealing with everyday problems seemed harmless until our little starlet found herself pregnant. What are her young fans supposed to think?

Lucky for her child, Jamie seems to be a better mother than her older sister Britney. The pop icon took a devastating turn for the worse and became a terrible example for girls of any age. Perhaps the media is to blame, perhaps it’s the fame. Whatever the reason, stars in demand right now are leading young girls astray.

Another great example, Miley Cyrus, seems to be on her way to becoming another Britney (hopefully she won’t be shaving her head anytime soon). After becoming a teen sensation, Miley seems to have no inhibitions when it comes to shaking her butt around in tiny shorts for all of America to see (she moves her hips like “yea” nowadays).

It may sound a bit over-the-top, but these starlets are having an impact. Just ask Kaylee Stewart, who has literally been coaching her sister through the sixth grade. The girls in her sister’s class all wear Miley Cyrus brand clothes and sing her songs like there’s no tomorrow. Harmless enough, right? Wrong.

The girls in this sixth-grade class also fantasize about dating older men and have even pressured each other to “get to second base” with guys in their class. Dances that used to be simple and youthfully-awkward are now full of grinding and hip thrusting. Kaylee’s sister feels uncomfortable with the choices of her friends, but she’s not really sure what else to do.

We have to recognize the images the media, and even ourselves, present to our youth. As public images become less and less modest, young girls are almost obligated to follow these young stars. With fewer stay-at-home moms and dads, television becomes a great babysitter when parents need a break.

Girls are maturing earlier and teens are constantly pressured to be what others want them to be. When their role models appear to be giving in to temptation, why shouldn’t they? How can they say no?

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Can we really thank a 16-year-old for our next interplanetary exploration? Or a band of teenagers for the eco-conscious energy that saves our planet from carbon-emitting fossil fuels? The high school students competing in the Spirit of Innovation Awards certainly think so.

Image courtesy of Conradawards.org

Starting on March 29, twenty-five of the top teams will be vying for our votes in an online campaign that chooses this year’s winners. Since August, finalists have been tackling some of the most pressing engineering and scientific issues facing society today, ranging from green living to enhanced nutrition and renewable energy to aerospace exploration. As the competitors’ part of the contest comes to a close, it’s our votes that make the difference between who advances and who goes.

Established by the Conrad Foundation in 2007, the awards challenge groups of high school students to solve real-world problems by using science, math, and technology. The competition encourages education and entrepreneurship, thus not only shaping the minds of our future but the potential shape that future may hold. This is not your run-of-the-mill science fair. These awards feasibly anticipate the innovations and innovators that may change our lives.

Winning groups are granted $5,000 for product development. And a few among the top are given further guidance with admission to The Portal, a program teaching the necessary marketing, technical, and analytical skills to breathe life into the creations. Past participants have even applied for patents to turn their projects into viable solutions.

While these awards celebrate the inner-geek within all of us, they more significantly address the waning education system plaguing our nation. Historically, America’s students have been among the best and the brightest, but we’re quickly being surpassed in the areas of science and math.

The 2006 Programme for International Student Assessment comparison ranks American students 21st out of 30 among those from developing countries in science literacy while ranking even lower at 25th out of 30 in math literacy. According to the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress, fourth-graders aren’t progressing in math for the first time in years; eighth-graders are demonstrating only minimal levels of progress.

The Spirit of Innovation Awards embody the call to action President Obama made late last year. Through his “Educate to Innovate” campaign, Obama urges not only parents and teachers but private companies, foundations, and nonprofits to focus on the perennial ideal that our kids are our future. Obama asks us to take on the responsibility of “mov[ing] American students from the middle of the pack to top in the next decade,” and the Spirit of Innovation Awards embraces that challenge.

So who will the winners be this year? The teens designing carbon-nano bucky tubes for drug delivery in microgravity, or the students converting humid air into drinking water by using solar, wind, and geothermal power? Or maybe the seniors creating a piezo-electric wallpaper that captures sound as energy?

Click here for more information about the finalists. Online voting is open from March 29 to April 9.

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