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 NameSchool DistrictSchoolTeam Members
Hair Tie ProjectBlue SpringsBlue Springs High SchoolEvan Hyde, Keagan Enicks, Laila Devine, Jarrett Prins
Weight Silencing PadBlue SpringsBlue Springs South High SchoolLogan McClanahan, Jayce Huke
Wireless Laser Alert System for Wandering Dementia PatientsLee’s SummitSummit Technology AcademyMeadow Lepert, Miles Goodman, Braeden Curless
Parkinson’s Pill CaseLibertyLiberty High SchoolChloe Cahill, Ash Songer
Kwadropus Duster RobotShawnee MissionCenter for Academic AchievementMiles Cohen, Alayna Beck, Madeline Ampleman, Samuel Wilson
Redesigning the Scalpel for Better Postmortem UsageBlue SpringsBlue Springs High SchoolMeredith Barry
Hands-free Approach to Adhesive Bandage ApplicationIndependenceVan Horn High SchoolAdriana Sarinana
Stair AccessibilityLibertyLiberty North High SchoolAustin 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 NameSchool DistrictSchoolTeam Members
Assessing the Impact of Lead Toxicity on Drosophila melanogasterIndependenceVan Horn High SchoolMaria Diaz
Effect of Herbicide on Aquatic SnailsLee’s SummitSummit Technology AcademyMehreen Tariq, Tyler Niemeyer, Caden Bichsel
The Impact of NaCl Concentrations on the Transposition of Genes in Escherichia coli K-12Lee’s SummitSummit Technology AcademyJacob Klipfel, Danica Hunt, Myah Frashier
Pestalotiopsis Microspora ability to degrade polyurethaneLee’s SummitSummit Technology AcademySkyy Williams, Maieva Nwanyama, Wyatt Dewey
The Exposure of Fruit Flies to Ethanol and the Development of ToleranceLee’s SummitSummit Technology AcademyHadyn Van Sloten, Lauren Kelley, Quinton Cross
The Effect of Sucrose Concentrations on Secretion of Calcite by Bacillus megateriumLee’s SummitSummit Technology AcademyEllisah Uhrlaub, Preston Nicholson, Jia Patel
The Effect of Fluorinated Telomer Alchohol on the Reproduction Rate in C. ElegansLee’s SummitSummit Technology AcademyKolbe Poos, Lexie Morefield, Tonanci Aguilera-Gallegos
Essential Oils against BacteriaLee’s SummitSummit Technology AcademyJoslyne 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:

YuridiaAbregoRuskin High School
BrookeAlsupBlue Springs High School
MadelineAmplemanCenter for Academic Achievement
MeredithBarryBlue Springs High School
KayleyBellGrain Valley High School
AbigailBrackenburyBlue Springs High School
KeyraCastillo AvilaVan Horn High School
MilesCohenShawnee Mission Northwest
ClarissaDavisStaley High School
MariaDiazVan Horn High School
AinsleyFellerBlue Springs High School
RileyFilmoreFort Osage High school
LorettaGaroutteVan Horn High School
JosieGinningsBlue Springs High School
ValeriaHernandezVan Horn High School
AntoninoLibarnesStaley High School
AdilynnMcGinleyBlue Springs High School
ChinyereOmeifeBlue Springs High School
NedraSeigfreidTruman High School
AmbrusSharkyBlue Springs High School
MeganShawBlue Springs High School
AlexanderToddBlue 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:

YuridiaAbregoRuskin High School
BrookeAlsupBlue Springs High School
MeredithBarryBlue Springs High School
KeyraCastillo AvilaVan Horn High School
MilesCohenShawnee Mission Northwest
MariaDiazVan Horn High School
LorettaGaroutteVan Horn High School
ValeriaHernandezVan Horn High School
AdilynnMcGinleyBlue Springs High School
ChinyereOmeifeBlue 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.

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