25 Apr 2024 Project Lead The Way students innovate solutions to real world problems in Senior Showcase competitions
Kansas City, MO (April 24, 2024)—On April 23, 350 students from 40 schools gathered at the Kansas City’s Union Station to display their Project Lead The Way senior capstone projects in engineering and biomedical sciences. Attendees saw a variety of projects addressing problems
More than 200 professionals from the realms of science, technology, engineering and math participated as judges and evaluators for the event’s awards and associated scholarships.
The PLTW Senior Showcase also included recognition of finalists for the Make It Real Scholarship and the Innovator Awards, which recognize the innovativeness and marketability of projects. The Innovator Award judging was coordinated by KC STEM Alliance’s partner, Startland Education. Winners were announced during the showcase through a roving announcement by the Startland team and the competition’s sponsor, Commerce Bank.
Here’s a look at the top teams and projects across the competitions:
Engineering Design Competition
The Engineering and Product Design Competition is for students who use the engineering design process to design a product or solve a problem. The Top 10 teams were recognized during the showcase, with the top two teams receiving scholarships.
Top Project Scholarship Award: The “Planter DropBox” by Summit Technology Academy students McKinley Robb, Aiden Leven and Connor Morrow explored how to protect online shoppers from porch pirates and lost packages. The students are pictured with Project Lead The Way CEO Dave Dimmett and KC STEM Alliance Executive Director Chelsea Barbercheck.
Top Project Scholarship Award: The “Produce Shelf Life Extender” by Summit Technology Academy students J.J. Norris, William Vehige and Hyrum Ward (not pictured) increases the lifespan of stored fresh produce by removing air from the container. The students are pictured with Project Lead The Way CEO Dave Dimmett and KC STEM Alliance Executive Director Chelsea Barbercheck.
Also recognized for placing in the top 10 of the Engineering Design Competition:
| Project Name | School District | School | Team Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair Tie Project | Blue Springs | Blue Springs High School | Evan Hyde, Keagan Enicks, Laila Devine, Jarrett Prins |
| Weight Silencing Pad | Blue Springs | Blue Springs South High School | Logan McClanahan, Jayce Huke |
| Wireless Laser Alert System for Wandering Dementia Patients | Lee’s Summit | Summit Technology Academy | Meadow Lepert, Miles Goodman, Braeden Curless |
| Parkinson’s Pill Case | Liberty | Liberty High School | Chloe Cahill, Ash Songer |
| Kwadropus Duster Robot | Shawnee Mission | Center for Academic Achievement | Miles Cohen, Alayna Beck, Madeline Ampleman, Samuel Wilson |
| Redesigning the Scalpel for Better Postmortem Usage | Blue Springs | Blue Springs High School | Meredith Barry |
| Hands-free Approach to Adhesive Bandage Application | Independence | Van Horn High School | Adriana Sarinana |
| Stair Accessibility | Liberty | Liberty North High School | Austin Lee |
Biomedical Research Competition
In the Biomedical Research Competition, projects were judged by medical professionals and scientists against a biomedical research rubric. The Top 10 teams were recognized during the showcase, with the top two teams receiving scholarships.
Top Project Scholarship Award: “Integrated UV-C Light and Wind Turbine Hand Dryer for Enhanced Hygiene and Sustainable Energy Generation” by Van Horn High School students Adrianna Lara, Aaliyah Albidrez addresses both sustainability and increased hygiene. The students are pictured with Project Lead The Way CEO Dave Dimmett and KC STEM Alliance Executive Director Chelsea Barbercheck.
Top Project Scholarship Award: “Worms and Pencil Lead: Effect of graphene oxide in a C. elegans model of Alzheimer’s disease” by Antonino Libarnes from Staley High School in the North Kansas City School District investigates possibilities for non-pharmaceutical treatments of dementia.
Also recognized for placing in the top 10:
| Project Name | School District | School | Team Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessing the Impact of Lead Toxicity on Drosophila melanogaster | Independence | Van Horn High School | Maria Diaz |
| Effect of Herbicide on Aquatic Snails | Lee’s Summit | Summit Technology Academy | Mehreen Tariq, Tyler Niemeyer, Caden Bichsel |
| The Impact of NaCl Concentrations on the Transposition of Genes in Escherichia coli K-12 | Lee’s Summit | Summit Technology Academy | Jacob Klipfel, Danica Hunt, Myah Frashier |
| Pestalotiopsis Microspora ability to degrade polyurethane | Lee’s Summit | Summit Technology Academy | Skyy Williams, Maieva Nwanyama, Wyatt Dewey |
| The Exposure of Fruit Flies to Ethanol and the Development of Tolerance | Lee’s Summit | Summit Technology Academy | Hadyn Van Sloten, Lauren Kelley, Quinton Cross |
| The Effect of Sucrose Concentrations on Secretion of Calcite by Bacillus megaterium | Lee’s Summit | Summit Technology Academy | Ellisah Uhrlaub, Preston Nicholson, Jia Patel |
| The Effect of Fluorinated Telomer Alchohol on the Reproduction Rate in C. Elegans | Lee’s Summit | Summit Technology Academy | Kolbe Poos, Lexie Morefield, Tonanci Aguilera-Gallegos |
| Essential Oils against Bacteria | Lee’s Summit | Summit Technology Academy | Joslyne Wooster, Baron Criscione, Kinley Evans |
Sustainability Award
Adrianna Lara and Aaliyah Albidrez from the Independence School District’s Van Horn High School winning Biomedical Research Competition project also received the Sustainability Challenge Award, which asks students to seek solutions to environmental issues facing our region.
Public Health Award
The Public Health Challenge invited students to imagine how we might improve people’s health and well-being through the lens of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals for eliminating poverty and tackling climate change. Award winners Meadow Lepert, Miles Goodman and Braeden Curless (high schools) who study at Summit Technology Academy in Lee’s Summit, focused on developing a wireless laser alert system to help keep wandering dementia patients safe.
Innovator Awards
The Innovator Awards recognize the innovativeness and marketability of an idea and students’ passion and ability to communicate their ideas. Mentors from the business community and local entrepreneurs worked with Startland Education to determine the top 10 innovators by listening to their pitches during the showcase and choosing which projects they would invest in. Projects recognized during the event:
Emma Ogle and Jordis Clay from Grain Valley High School for their LED home plate hitting device.
Brooklyn Rhoney, Kyle Malkmus and Slade Holden from Harrison High School for “It’s Catchy.”
Cadan Dickson, Christopher Sparks and Michael Diaz from Summit Technology Academy for “Cord Gripper.”
Aiden Leven, Connor Morrow and McKinley Robb from Summit Technology Academy for the Planter DropBox.
Braeden Curless, Meadow Lepert and Miles Goodman from Summit Technology Academy for their Wireless Laser Alert System for Wandering Dementia Patients.
Cesar Mejia and Jose Gonzalez from Truman High School in Independence for “Car Safety – Seat Belts.”
Aaliyah Albidrez and Adrianna Lara from Van Horn High School in Independence for “AA-AIR: Integrated UV-C Light and Wind Turbine Hand Dryer for Enhanced Hygiene and Sustainable Energy Generation.”
Loretta Garoutte from Van Horn High School in Independence for “Enhancing Sodium Hypochlorite Disinfection Efficacy During Root Canal Irrigation.”
Ana Williamson from Staley High School in North Kansas City for “Gravidus: An Early Pregnancy Test & Monitoring System.”
Antonio Libarnes of Staley High School in North Kansas City for “Worms and Pencil Lead: Effect of graphene oxide in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Make It REAL Scholarship Finalists
The Make It REAL Scholarship is granted to students who apply by submitting either a video or an essay reflecting on their four-year journey with Project Lead The Way courses and their culminating capstone project. The scholarship can be used to further their education or to advance their projects.
Finalists announced during the ceremony included:
| Yuridia | Abrego | Ruskin High School |
| Brooke | Alsup | Blue Springs High School |
| Madeline | Ampleman | Center for Academic Achievement |
| Meredith | Barry | Blue Springs High School |
| Kayley | Bell | Grain Valley High School |
| Abigail | Brackenbury | Blue Springs High School |
| Keyra | Castillo Avila | Van Horn High School |
| Miles | Cohen | Shawnee Mission Northwest |
| Clarissa | Davis | Staley High School |
| Maria | Diaz | Van Horn High School |
| Ainsley | Feller | Blue Springs High School |
| Riley | Filmore | Fort Osage High school |
| Loretta | Garoutte | Van Horn High School |
| Josie | Ginnings | Blue Springs High School |
| Valeria | Hernandez | Van Horn High School |
| Antonino | Libarnes | Staley High School |
| Adilynn | McGinley | Blue Springs High School |
| Chinyere | Omeife | Blue Springs High School |
| Nedra | Seigfreid | Truman High School |
| Ambrus | Sharky | Blue Springs High School |
| Megan | Shaw | Blue Springs High School |
| Alexander | Todd | Blue Springs High School |
The top 10 winners each receive a $500 scholarship and will be honored with a special reception by The DeBruce Foundation. They include:
| Yuridia | Abrego | Ruskin High School |
| Brooke | Alsup | Blue Springs High School |
| Meredith | Barry | Blue Springs High School |
| Keyra | Castillo Avila | Van Horn High School |
| Miles | Cohen | Shawnee Mission Northwest |
| Maria | Diaz | Van Horn High School |
| Loretta | Garoutte | Van Horn High School |
| Valeria | Hernandez | Van Horn High School |
| Adilynn | McGinley | Blue Springs High School |
| Chinyere | Omeife | Blue Springs High School |
The 2023-24 Agilities Champion, selected from among the top 10, exemplifies the ability to articulate their own story using the Agilities language and how this will influence future career decision making. That award, which includes an additional $500 scholarship, was awarded to Miles Cohen of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.
Editors Note: High resolution photos by Charles Maples available here.
