Great news this Christmas: A group of intrepid Georgia high schoolers was recently nominated in five categories at a global science competition in Paris, proving that American K-12 students can compete with the brightest students in the world. Yet this left some wondering: Why don’t we have more examples of world-class achievement?

And are the Trump administration’s efforts to close the U.S. Department of Education going to widen the gap between students in America and other countries?

Students from Lambert High School, located an hour north of Atlanta, have developed a method to detect Lyme disease earlier than existing tests. Earlier detection means earlier treatment, which can save those infected from potentially long-lasting neurological issues.

As reported by "60 Minutes," the students submitted their discovery to the international science competition known as iGEM and were the only team from the United States to finish in the top 10. This is an exciting development for Lambert and doctors treating Lyme disease, but America managed to send just 14 teams to iGEM, while countries in Asia sent 120.

For years, researchers have lamented the poor results from traditional schools in America.

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