A local Richmond Hill student has gotten a pat on the back from Governor Sonny Perdue.

Mathew McGuthry, who is a middle school home-schooled student, was announced late Friday as a top finalist in the 2008 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge (YSC) with his video entry on satellites and orbits.

McGuthry was among 10 students from across the nation who made it to the top ranking in the search for the nation’s Top Young Scientist, hosted by Discovery Education and 3M.

"Georgia is proud of Matthew and his achievement in this competition so far. Mary and I wish him the best in the final competition and we are happy to see Georgia represented in the finals," Perdue said in a press release Friday.

Next up, McGuthry along with the nine other finalists will compete in the nation’s capital Oct. 4-6 for the chance to win a $50,000 U.S. Savings Bond ($25,000 cash value) as well as the title of "America’s Top Young Scientist of the Year."

In its 10th year, the YSC introduced a new entry mechanism for students, challenging their ability to innovatively use everyday technology to communicate basic scientific concepts. From camcorders to cell phones, YSC competitors chose any technology available to create two-minute videos demonstrating their understanding of scientific concepts surrounding "The Science of Space" theme, including the Doppler Effect, a Parabola, Why Earth’s Sky Appears Blue, Orbital Paths, Magnetic Fields, the Bernoulli Principle and the Venturi Effect. Entries were evaluated on students’ ability to understand and effectively communicate the meaning of their chosen concept, not on the sophistication of their video production. The competition was open to all middle schoolers across the country.

NASA will host the competition finals at the Goddard Space Flight Center, located near Washington, D.C., where students will demonstrate their science abilities in a series of team-based, interactive challenges focused on this year’s theme, "The Science of Space."

"The YSC is an important part of our company’s commitment to science education and the belief that the next generation be able to effectively communicate complex ideas and solutions," said David Zaslav, president and CEO, Discovery Communications. "These 10 finalists are the future science leaders in America and Discovery is so proud to be associated with so much passion, dedication and intellect that will ultimately keep the United States competitive in these critical fields."

Robert MacDonald, president of the 3M Foundation, noted that science is driving the innovation throughout 3M on a global basis.

"We have a responsibility to foster interest and development in the innovators of our future, and our partnership with Discovery provides the ideal platform for students and teachers to demonstrate just how exciting the journey of learning can be," he said.

For more information on McGuthry and his prize-winning video, as well as all the other finalists visit www.DiscoveryEducation.com/YoungScientist .