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<< Previous   of   Next >> Michael O'Leary / The Herald  (click to enlarge) Jordan Steeves, 18, who graduated from Everett High School last week, recently won $5,000 for his school and $5,000 for himself in a statewide science contest with his entry, an environmentally friendly water bottle.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, June 15, 2009 Super Kid: Jordan Steeves, 18, Everett High School senior Science reward: Jordan Steeves recently earned $5,000 for his Everett High School science program and $5,000 for himself by winning a statewide Imagine Tomorrow competition at Washington State University. Winning entry: The task was to find a way to change people's behavior. His idea: Environmentally friendly water bottles made of 70 percent paper and 30 percent plastic. They're similar to milk cartons. Elation: On hearing that he won, Steeves was ecstatic. "I was like, 'Yes. All my hard work accumulated into that one moment.'" Product name and motto: "Cykle" and "Replant Your Future." Reasoning: His water bottles can degrade in five years while plastic ones could take 1,000 years. "I want to start a company that makes a difference and changes the behavior of the public. This is like my dream." He said such an endeavor that could include a local recycling center would be in line with the "green jobs" President Barack Obama has advocated. Product: Steeves had Tetra Pak, a Texas-based plant that manufactures cartons, print his design on the prototypes he presented. Motivation: He remembers a phone call with his dad who was in Florida a few years ago. His father was describing the beauty of the waterfront at Miami Beach with one exception: strewn plastic water bottles. "I just started thinking about that image." Teacher's thoughts: When she saw what Jordan was working on, Everett High School chemistry teacher Addie Smith urged him to enter it into the Imagine Tomorrow competition. "His idea is revolutionary, and I sincerely feel the world will be seeing it in the marketplace very soon." Future: Steeves plans to attend Western Washington University and study environmental science. Rigor: His senior year schedule at Everett High School included college-level advanced placement classes in chemistry, biology and English as well as Running Start classes at Everett Community College in psychology and Spanish. Going green: He was president of his school's environmental club, which volunteered with cleanups. Favorite book: "Stumbling on Happiness" by Daniel Gilbert. Favorite movie: "Ace Ventura" Favorite music: Bob Marley. Deep roots: A product of Everett schools, Jordan attended Madison Elementary School, North Middle School and Everett High School. Enjoying Everett: He likes mountain biking at Japanese Gulch and skimboarding at Howarth Park. Skimboarding is like a combination of snowboarding and skateboarding on water. Hard work ahead: The summer heat of Montana awaits. He's planning to help his grandparents bale hay in Big Sky country. Family matters: Jordan has a mix of siblings -- an older sister, a stepbrother, a half brother and a half sister. "They're a lot of fun." Reporter Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, e-mail stevick@heraldnet.com Know a super kid?: E-mail schoolfyi@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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