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February 9, 2018
Inspired by Pfizer scientist Rosemary Orciari , Pfizer partnered with Scholastic in the fall of 2017 to launch a program that encouraged children across the country to dream up potential solutions to medical and societal problems to help make the world a better place. The If Kids Could Cure contest asked kids in grades K-5 to explain a problem, design a solution, and draw a picture to illustrate it.
After receiving more than 8,000 entries from across the country, three winners were selected by a panel of judges at Pfizer. The winners were chosen based on the clarity, creativity/originality and effectiveness of their solution. The grades K-2 and 3-5 winners each received a $15,000 grant for their school’s science programs, and the runner-up winner’s school received a $5,000 science grant. The winners’ teachers received $200 worth of books from Scholastic and the winners each received a backpack filled with science supplies.
Grades K-2 Winner
Sofia Babaytseva, grade 2
PS 50 (Frank Hankinson School), Staten Island, NY
Winning idea: A digital application that would tell patients the current waiting time at their doctor’s office, to help reduce waiting times or enable patients to identify doctors with shorter waiting times.
Grades 3-5 Winner
Tucker Robinson, grade 5
Heartland Community School, Henderson, NE
Winning idea: An artificial intelligence stuffed animal for kids with diabetes that would detect blood sugar levels and give tips to help kids better understand and take care of their diabetes.
Runner-up Winner
Brian Chen, grade 5
Toquam Magnet School, Stamford, CT
Winning idea: A wearable device for children experiencing physical bullying that would alert a list of emergency contacts to their GPS location when they are in trouble.
The If Kids Could Cure contest asked kids in grades K-5 to solve for problems they see in the world, and awarded $35,000 in science grants to the winners’ schools.
