Challenge
Concerned about the declining interest in science among youth across the country, Bayer and the National Science Foundation (NSF) identified middle-school students as an underreached but critical target audience for encouraging interest and excitement in science.

Of particular interest was reaching young girls and students in rural and urban schools to encourage them to use science and technology to identify and develop solutions to community problems. In partnership with the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, Bayer and the NSF sought to inspire young people to make a difference as active and involved citizens, while learning and gaining an appreciation for science.

Strategy
Dymun + Company has worked with the Bayer/NSF Awards (now known as the Christopher Columbus Awards) for more than seven years through strategic planning, concept development, collateral production, media relations and event planning.

In addition to extensive local, regional and national media relations efforts, and design and development of collateral materials, several team members from the agency work hands-on with the students for one week at the National Championship Awards Banquet at Walt Disney World® in Florida, preparing them for live television interviews on a satellite media tour.

Results
Over the last seven years, this competition and its sponsors have received considerable positive exposure across many media and in many communities. On average, the number of media impressions each year for the last three has been over 30 million per year with over 50 million in one year. Of particular note are the three appearances of teams and the competition on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She continues to be considered one of the five most influential people in America in terms of her impact on sales in specific industries and her ability to sway public opinion.

There has also been considerable exposure to the program from the White House over the years including recognition in a Rose Garden ceremony with former President Bill Clinton, congratulatory letters to the finalist teams from President Clinton and President George W. Bush, and personal recognition of one of the winners who was invited to sit next to the First Lady during a State of the Union address. We have also secured favorable recognition of the Columbus Foundation Community Grant winners through the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and governors of many states across the U.S.who have expressed interest in meeting grant winners

Congressional delegations in nearly all 50 states are personally aware of the program and its impact on their home states through letters and calls announcing the semi-finalists and finalists in their area.