Charlestown High School senior earns $15,000 scholarship at 4th Annual POWER OF AN IDEA® Awards Ceremony

BOSTON – Beaming with pride in front of hundreds of classmates, a euphoric senior from Charlestown High School today claimed a $15,000 first-place prize in the Fourth Annual Power of an Idea® Scholarship Contest sponsored by Boston-based law firm Burns & Levinson LLP.

Min Zhong, a native of Guangzhou, China, immigrated to the United States three years ago and now lives in Chinatown. She won for a creative medical alert system geared to the elderly.

“I am so excited to win this scholarship,” said a smiling Zhong. “Competition is always very fierce, and this makes me realize that I can achieve my dreams with hard work and perseverance.”

Zhong invented the “New Medical Alert System,” an intricate locking system used in emergency medical situations. Currently, when a distressed resident needs to summon medical help, emergency officials are often unable to enter the residence because of a locked door.

To address the problem, Zhong’s invention includes two features—the installation of a remote-controlled electric double lock on the door and a personal help button with a remote-controlled key. Emergency services personnel are equipped with keys that can unlock the common-keyed lock.

Judges lauded the invention for solving problems associated with gaining third-party access to secure premises. Officials believe that damage to doors and personal property will be effectively eliminated as personnel will no longer be forced to break down locked doors to gain access in emergency situations.

“The purpose of my invention is to create a uniform procedure for medical teams to gain access to the homes of elderly residents in need of aid,” Zhong wrote in her winning report.

Following the event, Zhong displayed her prototype to well-wishers gathered around the stage, including her mother, her teachers, and Charlestown High School Headmaster Dr. Margaret Bledsoe. With the first-place win, Zhong earned a $15,000 scholarship to be used for tuition and expenses for higher education beyond high school and legal patent services from Burns & Levinson. Burns & Levinson recently filed a provisional patent on Zhong’s behalf with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and will file a full patent application within one year. Zhong is planning to attend Tufts University in the fall, where she will study chemical engineering.

Students in Boston public high schools and charter schools (grades 9-12) were invited to participate in the scholarship contest. Students from throughout the school system filed applications describing the details and the beneficial use of their inventions. Six finalists ultimately were selected.

Rhonda Edwards of Mattapan, a senior at the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics & Science, received an honorable mention for her invention. Edwards and four other finalists received certificates of participation and gift certificates to Boston’s Museum of Science from Burns & Levinson, and certificates of commendation from Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. The other finalists, all students at the O’Bryant School, are Sohanny Hernandez of Roslindale, Binyam Sirmollo of Roslindale, and Twonnisha Winbush of Dorchester, all sophomores, and Christine Umeh of Roxbury, a senior.

“Through creativity and hard work, these students have developed ideas that will help shape the future,” said Dr. Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools. “We are so proud to see them apply their learning in such innovative ways, and we look forward to hearing about their continued success in the years ahead.”

David P. Rosenblatt, managing partner for Burns & Levinson, said the law firm remains committed to supporting Boston Public Schools students. “With our Power of an Idea scholarship, we continue to make an investment in Boston and in the youth of Boston, particularly in the area of science and technology,” Rosenblatt said. “The sense of creativity and scientific discovery remains especially strong in Boston schools.”

Three of the four judges were from Burns & Levinson: Jacob N. Erlich and Normand F. Smith, both partners at the firm; and Dr. Yakov Korkhin, a patent agent. The final judge was Donald Barry, director of Product Development for PointCare Technologies.

PHOTO: David Rosenblatt, managing partner of Burns & Levinson LLP; Min Zhong, senior at Charlestown High School; and Dr. Margaret Bledsoe, Headmaster of Charlestown High School.

Burns & Levinson LLP, with over 120 attorneys in four offices in New England, is a full-service Boston-based law firm. The firm has grown steadily and strategically throughout the years and has become a premier law firm with regional, national and international clientele. The firm has expertise in corporate law, finance, venture capital, private equity, tax, bankruptcy, lending and leasing, real estate, business litigation, government investigations and white collar crime defense, intellectual property - including patent law, and a large private client group – including estate planning, probate and trust litigation, divorce and other family law issues. In addition, the firm has a wholly-owned subsidiary office in Montreal, Quebec, to service its Canadian clients. For more information, visit Burns & Levinson at www.burnslev.com.