This 16-week course (meeting once a week) guides and supports students to develop a research topic and create an engaging educational video to participate in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge. This project-based class guides and mentors students through the whole process, from start to finish. The focus of the course is on learning, research, creativity and group support as students devise unique ways to communicate their ideas. We'll also discuss strategies for effective communication and producing an engaging, "winning" video. 

The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is an annual global competition for students to inspire creative thinking about science. Students ages 13 to 18 are invited to create and submit original videos (1:30 minutes in length maximum) that bring to life a concept or theory in the life sciences, physics or mathematics. The winning video is awarded a $250,00 scholarship for college education! More info about this unique teen challenge can be found here: https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/

The three fields that the Challenge includes are Physics, Life Sciences and Mathematics. While Physics and Math are more self-explanatory, what do they mean by Life Sciences? The Life Sciences are the study of living systems. This encompasses everything from the structure of DNA to the biochemistry of cells, the functioning of organs, the workings of the brain and theories such as evolution that govern entire ecosystems. 

In the process of teaching others through their video presentation, students will gain a deeper understanding of the topic they chose, while growing their skills in public presentation and science communication. Past participants in the Challenge have enjoyed the personal growth experience of expressing their voice while teaching important educational concepts through the video format.

The instructor for this course, Prof. Mark Baraket (M.S. Astrophysics, Univ. of California-Berkeley) has mentored students to enter the Breakthrough Global Challenge for several years. He is a Certified Space Ambassador with the National Space Society, and a former researcher at both NASA and the Canary Island Observatory. One of his former students, Hillary Andales, won the grand prize in 2017! She went on to study at MIT with the scholarship's support. Her winning video, as well as others, can be viewed at: https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/challenge 

Competition Rules: 
Submissions must be entered by June 25 (and must be in the English language). 
Anyone between the ages of 13 and 18 can participate, with the following guidelines:
- 13 or older by 12:01 AM PT on April 1, the year of the competition
- Not older than 18 (not yet 19) as of 11:59 PM PT on October 1, the year of the competition
So, even if a learner is 12 now, as long as they turn 13 by April 1st, they can enter the contest. 
If a learner is 18 now, and still 18 on October 1st, they can participate.

The sessions for the course are organized as follows: 

Session 1: An explanation & overview of the challenge. Criteria for selecting a topic. Students think about which topic they wish to explain, and have it ready by the next session.

Session 2: Students inform the instructor of their Challenge idea or topic. Students fill out Challenge registration together in class. 

Session 3-5: Instructor helps develop content on each student-selected topic, and provides guidance for further research & investigation. Students learn from each other's topics and devise plans to conduct additional research on their topic of choice.

Session 6: Review the rules for entry again to ensure videos are prepared to qualify. Students discuss their additional research and start organizing their ideas. Students start planning their 1.5 minute educational videos, writing their scripts and creating a simple storyboard. 

Session 7: Students present their script with simple storyboard for review. Instructor feedback. Storyboards & videos will also be shared with the Quantum Physics for Kids Director Valerie Mih, who has extensive media and animation production experience, for additional feedback. 

Session 8: Students begin producing their videos, which can include live-action video, audio, text, graphics, effects and animation. Live-action video can be shot with a smartphone camera. Free and inexpensive video editors and animation programs will be recommended. 

Session 9-13: Students show work-in-progress video and graphics. Instructor & Director feedback. Continue shooting, creating graphics and editing. Re-shoots as needed. 

Session 14: Students show work-in-progress videos and graphics. Instructor & Director feedback.  Re-shoots as needed. Double-check guidelines for the video. 

Session 15: Students show work-in-progress videos. Instructor & Director feedback. Final polishing. Prepare entry form. 

Session 16: Students present their finished videos and submit their entry to the competition!