Great Neck teen wins Intel 2nd place

A Great Neck teen who despite her blindness completed research about her classmates' obsession with cell phones scored another victory Tuesday night, taking the $75,000 second-place prize in the national Intel science competition.

"I nearly fainted on stage -- I think people got worried," said Michelle Abi Hackman, 17, shortly after accepting the award at a black-tie dinner in Washington, D.C. The event marked the 70th anniversary of the nation's oldest student research contest, formerly known as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search.

A $100,000 top prize went to Evan O'Dorney, also 17, of Danville, Calif., for a math project featuring a super-quick method for finding square roots.

Before dinner, 12th-grade contestants endured two days of judging before panels of adult scientists who raised questions, not only about research projects, but also on random topics designed to surprise. Hackman, at one point, was asked what she would carry with her if she were sent back in time a million years with a baggage limit of 200 pounds.

Her answer: "I'd probably bring somebody else along, because I'd be lonely."

Though blind since childhood, Hackman is a keen observer of human behavior. Several years ago, she was sitting with friends from Great Neck North High School when she realized they were all texting one another on cell phones, rather than talking. This led to her project, in which she persuaded 150 classmates to sit in isolated rooms, with some allowed to keep their cell phones and others not.

Her results suggested that students relieved of their cell phones might feel more listless. Much of the research was done with the help of computer software that reads printed text aloud.

Hackman, who plans to attend Yale University in the fall, also sings with a jazz choir at school and has started a recycling program there. She is enrolled in four college-level Advanced Placement courses, as well as a class that is creating an original musical to be staged in early June.

In her spare time -- such as it is -- Hackman has teamed up with a friend to raise about $5,000 toward building a school in rural Cambodia for impoverished girls. She hopes to raise $8,000 more.

"She doesn't sleep too much, I guess," said her mother, Sarah Hackman, who attended Tuesday night's dinner. Also there was Alan Schorn, a Great Neck North teacher who has been a mentor to Michelle since she was in 10th grade.

The dinner climaxed a five-day Washington visit by contestants, who met with President Barack Obama and members of Congress.

Another Island finalist, Matthew Lam, 17, of Jericho High School, recalled time spent with Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Roslyn Heights), who spoke about recent events in Egypt and other hot spots. "Just the fact that he'd take 20 minutes to talk to us, with everything going on," Lam said.

The Intel competition distributes $1.25 million in prizes annually.