9th Grader's Medicated Soap Invention Wins America's Top Young Scientist Award

A 14-year-old boy from Virginia who invented an innovative soap to treat skin cancer has been awarded the title of "America's Top Young Scientist" along with a $25,000 prize. Heman Bekele, a ninth grader from Annandale, VA, spent months creating the medicated bar soap as an affordable way to help combat rising skin cancer rates.

Bekele was one of ten national finalists in the prestigious competition run by 3M and Discovery Education. The contest recognizes outstanding innovation by students in grades 5 through 8. Bekele rose above entrants from across the country to claim the top honor and recognition as the nation's premier young scientist.

"I believe that young minds can make a positive impact on the world," said Bekele about being named America's Top Young Scientist. "This challenge gave me the perfect platform to showcase my ideas."

The soap Bekele invented contains a compound designed to treat melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. His goal is to refine the soap and distribute it through a non-profit to underserved communities in the next five years. The bars cost around $0.50 each to produce.

Bekele was among nine other impressive finalists who also earned cash prizes. Second place winner Shripriya Kalbhavi, 14, developed a patch that delivers medication through the skin without needles. Sarah Wang, 12, came in third for inventing a glove that detects oncoming epileptic seizures.

The competition is open to students in grades 5-8 nationwide. Inventors submit ideas aimed at solving real-world problems in areas like health, sustainability, and technology. The goal is to encourage young minds to use STEM skills to positively impact society.

Melanoma rates have climbed steadily in America, making Bekele's work especially relevant. More than 100,000 new melanoma cases are diagnosed each year, causing over 7,000 deaths annually. With early detection and treatment, survival odds improve significantly.

But many lack access to affordable skin cancer screening and medication. Bekele's soap aims to help combat melanoma through an inexpensive prevention tool accessible to underserved populations.

Bekele has long been fascinated by science and technology. The budding scientist plans to continue refining his soap to maximize effectiveness against cancerous skin cells. He also intends to launch a non-profit startup to distribute the soap to communities in need.

The young inventor hopes his story inspires other students to develop innovations that solve pressing health issues. He encourages teens to enter competitions like America's Top Young Scientist to gain exposure for their ideas.

At just 14 years old, Bekele exemplifies the enormous potential of young minds to have real-world impact. His melanoma-fighting soap innovation demonstrates that groundbreaking scientific advances can come from unexpected sources.

Bekele proves that kids have the capability to conceptualize products with meaningful social benefit. Given the platform, America's youth have immense capacity to better society through science. Competitions like this aim to tap into that promise and cultivate our next generation of great inventors and leaders.

The America's Top Young Scientist contest is considered one of the most prestigious science competitions for middle school students. Run by 3M and Discovery Education, it challenges kids in 5th through 8th grade to develop STEM solutions that address real societal needs.

The competition begins locally, with students submitting project ideas to affiliated science fairs. Regional winners advance to the national contest, where a field of 10 finalists are selected to present their innovations at 3M's Minnesota headquarters.

There, a panel of expert judges evaluates each entry on creativity, scientific knowledge, communication skills, and overall presentation. One national winner emerges with the title of America's Top Young Scientist and a $25,000 prize.

The competition began in 2017,aligned with 3M and Discovery Education's missions to advance STEM learning and cultivate the next generation of inventors. To date, past national winners have come from California, Colorado, Tennessee and Washington D.C.

But the program isn't just about winning. All finalists receive mentorship from 3M scientists to refine their projects. And each leaves with grant money to advance their ideas plus useful national exposure.

Discovery Education airs a one-hour program on the competition that reaches over 5 million students nationwide. This coverage aims to inspire kids everywhere by showcasing what their peers are achieving in STEM fields.

By spotlighting youth innovation, the contest organizers hope to shift perceptions of what students are capable of. Kids have immense untapped potential to better society if given appropriate resources and encouragement.

Competitions like this indicate children can grasp sophisticated scientific concepts and engineering principles. Programs that engage students in hands-on learning cultivate critical thinking skills applicable well beyond the classroom.

At its core, the national competition aims to fuel kids' passion in STEM and demonstrate how subjects like math and science connect to improving real lives. Students thrive when given freedom to direct their own learning guided by intrinsic motivations.

Contests provide goal-oriented focus that drive young minds to excel. Recognizing youth achievement reinforces that their ideas have worth and ability to create change. By inspiring the next generation, the future of American innovation looks bright