WASHINGTON -- Former Little Rock student Chythanya Murali, 13, won first place in engineering at a national science and engineering competition Tuesday for creating a new way to clean oil spills.
Earlier Tuesday, President Barack Obama congratulated the 30 middle school finalists of the 2014 Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology, and Engineering for Rising Stars) competition at the White House.
Chythanya said she shook the president's hand.
Chythanya was a student at LISA Academy charter school when she qualified for the competition. Her family moved over the summer, and she now attends Centennial High School in Maryland.
Her project involves biological agents that, when mixed, clean up the oil. She said she was inspired by the BP oil spill that affected the Gulf Coast in 2010.
"It was kind of devastating," she said.
First-place winners received an iPad and $3,500 to attend a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) summer camp.
Chythanya also qualified for the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the past two years.
CLINTON RECOGNIZED
On Thursday, The Executive Leadership Foundation recognized Hillary Clinton for her work on civil rights and education at an awards gala in National Harbor, Md. The group works to develop black business leaders.
Among other roles, Clinton is being recognized for her job as chairman of the Arkansas Education Standards Committee in the early 1980s.
CAMPAIGNING
Several candidates spoke at The Delta Grassroots Caucus fall regional conference in Helena-West Helena last week, including candidates for governor, Democrat Mike Ross and Republican Asa Hutchinson; 1st District congressional candidates Republican U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford and Democratic Heber Springs Mayor Jackie McPherson; and Arkansas U.S. Sens. Mark Pryor and John Boozman. Pryor's Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, couldn't attend because of a scheduling conflict and sent a letter laying out his positions, according to a news release from the Caucus.
On Monday, Crawford has a rally scheduled at the Arkansas State University Farmers Market in Jonesboro from 6-8 p.m. The market is at the northeast corner of Stadium Avenue and Aggie Road. Several other Republicans are scheduled to attend the rally, including Cotton, Boozman, Hutchinson and candidates for constitutional offices.
Cotton and Hutchinson plan to hold rallies together Monday. From 7:30-9 a.m., they are scheduled to be at the Fort Smith Convention Center (Exhibit Hall A1) in Fort Smith and appear from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Burns Park Pavilion 10 in Little Rock.
Ross is scheduled to hold a rally at his campaign headquarters, 1023 W. Third St. in Little Rock. with Gov. Mike Beebe at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
IN THE DISTRICT
Boozman spoke at the annual meeting of Arkansas' Independent Colleges and Universities and toured the Boys & Girls Club in Little Rock on Friday.
Boozman was scheduled to attend the fourth annual Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame induction ceremony and banquet in Little Rock on Saturday. He was also scheduled that day to stop in Arkadelphia to watch Ouachita Baptist University play football against South Arkansas University. Today, he is scheduled to speak at the 100th anniversary celebration at Evangel Temple, his childhood church in Fort Smith.
On Monday, U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin met with representatives of Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind at their facility to discuss ways to create new jobs in Arkansas. He also met with people at the University of Arkansas Agriculture Division to discuss funding for agriculture research.
On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford announced that the National 4-H Council has awarded $164,000 to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in support of the 4-H National Mentoring Program. The Department of Justice grant is part of a national effort to strengthen, expand and implement youth mentoring activities.
WAL-MART AWARD
Wal-Mart was recognized as Business of the Year by the D.C. Chamber of Commerce at a Washington gala Oct. 25.
Wal-Mart opened its first two locations in the capital in December 2013 after a lengthy battle with the City Council over how much the retail giant would pay employees, a fight the retailer ultimately won. According to a news release, Wal-Mart has since donated more than $13 million to local organizations.
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