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VICTORIA - A 15-year-old Victoria student is a finalist in Google's global science fair for building a battery-free flashlight powered by the heat of her hands.

Ann Makosinski will be flying to Mountain View, Calif., to present her science project, which is competing with 14 others for the top prize.

Makosinski said her project came from an interest in harvesting humans' untapped thermal energy.
The winner will be announced on Sept. 23 and receive a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Islands with National Geographic Expeditions, a $50,000 scholarship, and other prizes.

The finalists were chosen after judges evaluated thousands of projects submitted by students from more than 120 countries.