Whiz Kids (2009/2010)

Whiz Kids

Whiz Kids

Themselves:
  • Kelydra Welcker
  • Harmain Khan
  • Ana Cisneros Cisneros
Director:
Co-Director:
Screenwriter:
Producer:
Executive Producer:
Photography Director:
Editor:
Music:
Animator:
Presents:
Production Company:

* Most external filmography links go to The Internet Movie Database.

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Opened: 05/07/2010 Limited

Screenings05/07/2010
Camera 3 Cinem...05/07/2010 - 05/07/20101 day
Cinema Village...06/04/2010 - 06/17/201014 days
Laemmle's Musi...06/11/2010 - 06/17/20107 days

Genre: Documentary

Rated: Unrated

Short Synopsis

At a time when American teens lag far behind other countries in math and science, WHIZ KIDS is a coming-of-age documentary that tells the story of three remarkably different yet equally passionate 17-year-old scientists who vie to compete in the nation's oldest, most prestigious science competition. Win or lose, these "whiz kids" raise questions about class, courage, personal sacrifice, success and failure, and in the process, learn as much about themselves as they do about science.

Long Synopsis

"It's time we once again put science at the top of our agenda and work to restore America's place as the world leader in science and technology. " -- Barack Obama

Over the past decade, countries like China and India vastly increased support for research and development, while U.S. funding remained largely stagnant. Government appropriations for agencies such as the National Institutes of Health decreased and scientists around the country almost uniformly complained that this lack of support led to a stifling of innovation. Not surprisingly, U.S. teens now rank 24th in the world in math and science.

As global economies become increasingly competitive, America's future rests on the shoulders of our next generation. The main characters in WHIZ KIDS demonstrate that American students can meet that challenge.

The Science Talent Search began in 1942 and is the oldest, most prestigious science competition in America. Formerly sponsored by Westinghouse, it is now known as the Intel Science Talent Search. Each year over two thousand students compete for prizes totaling more than $1.5 million. In the end, forty finalists travel to Washington, D.C. to present their research to top scientists and vie for a $100,000 grand prize.

While the competition itself provides a grueling and emotionally compelling narrative, the filmmakers agreed that the coming of age stories of its contenders would comprise the heart of the film. For a year and a half, they visited high schools around the country searching for teenagers who were engaged in sophisticated research. The team found students, who at 16 and 17, were already working in university and government labs, sometimes alongside Nobel Prize winning scientists. They also found students with fewer resources who were busy working in makeshift basement and garage labs. Several traits were consistent among these 'whiz kids' -- an insatiable curiosity, a deeply felt determination to communicate their work to the public and a passion to make a difference in the world.

The filmmakers chose to follow the stories of students for whom the stakes of their research, and of this competition, were significant. Each teen faced enormous personal challenges.