When Dylan noticed that kids had lots of questions and concerns about the tsunami and that some of the information they were hearing from the media was frightening, he started another project. By asking a lot of questions, Dylan learned a great deal and decided to create a website to teach children 14 years old and under about tsunamis, how to watch for warning signs, and how to protect themselves if they are ever in an earthquake-prone area.

He decided that this couldn't be a one-student job, so he assembled a team of like-minded individuals. With the help of his friends and teachers, he started a website called "Killer Waves" that describes the history of tsunamis, their impact, and recovery efforts, precautions, and safety measures. The website contains several original drawings, interactivies, maps, and other helpful visuals.

To develop the website, Dylan worked with his teammates an average of 10-15 hours a week during his entire winter vacation plus three months. They ran into several obstacles and technical difficulties. They had to ask, learn, experiment, and rely on each other's strengths to overcome each obstacle.

The team had a specific focus in mind and delegated work based on individual strengths, forming a collaborative effort. For example, graphics were completed by one person and passed on to another for animation. There is an inextricable bit of all five members within each piece of their work. Their personalities mesh so seamlessly that it is nearly impossible to tell where one person's work ends and another's begins.

This 15-minute artistic endeavor was produced with support from A & B Productions, a nonprofit organization that promotes positive living through the arts, for kids age 6 through 19. Nicole Butler, Ben's mother and owner of the company says, "The film has a strong message." It premiered at the town library and was featured at the Wilmington and the Philadelphia Film Festivals.

Inspiration for Tough Life originated from Ben's fourth-grade composition assignment at Brader Elementary School. Ben showed his story to his mother who encouraged him to write a movie script. Ben was so enthusiastic that he skipped over writing the script and went directly to casting characters and shooting the film. He was confident that actors: his 15-year-old brother Andre, Andre's friend Dustin Davis, and Ben's dad could ad lib their lines. Ben was absolutely right. His extraordinary achievement was recognized by Wilmington's Mayor James Baker. Ben was awarded a city proclamation, a gold medal, and a trophy.

Other Ben Foster Films are being produced to help young people deal with difficult situations. Ben continues working hard at balancing his time between filmmaking, acting, public appearances, and schoolwork. He also makes time to play the guitar and enjoys participating in basketball and golf.

Austin developed his idea in his family basement. He used a plastic bar and attached it to the handlebars with tubing and used clamps to hold his bat. He used a hook to hold the glove and a pouch to hold the ball. Austin's father helped with the construction and use of necessary tools. Construction took one week.

In 2000, Austin received a patent for his invention. He won the National Grand Prize in the Discovery Network and MediaOne Broadcasting's Ultimate Invention Contest and was inducted into the National Gallery for America's Young Inventors. He's been featured on numerous television networks including ABC, NBC, and CBS. The Discovery Channel broadcasted a documentary on Austin's invention and patent process.

Austin explains, "When I invented the Battie Caddie it made me feel proud, accomplished, like I was doing something that made a difference. Inventing makes me think about things differently, confident about my abilities. Now when I see a problem, I try to fix it instead of ignoring it and letting someone else do it. Being an inventor is a very proud accomplishment. There's something very cool about the fact that something I created is helping make other people's lives easier."