Elizabethtown High School Triumphs at Altec’s Annual Innovation Challenge with Cutting-Edge Irrigation System!

Elizabethtown High School Shines at Altec’s Annual Innovation Challenge!

In the heart of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, a remarkable event recently unfolded at the Elizabethtown Community and Technical College that showcased the brilliant minds of local high school students. The annual Innovation Challenge, hosted by Altec, brought together a total of seven teams representing various schools within Hardin County and the Elizabethtown Independent school districts to tackle some real-world problems and design innovative solutions.

Creativity Meets Community Spirit

This year’s challenge was all about encouraging students to think critically and creatively, combining elements of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through student-driven, project-based competition. It provided a wonderful opportunity for over 40 eager participants to flex their intellectual muscles and make tangible contributions to their community. We saw an impressive turnout, with four teams from Elizabethtown High School (EHS) and additional participants from North Hardin High School and Central Hardin High School.

Winning Team Implements State-of-the-Art Irrigation

The excitement reached its peak when the team from Elizabethtown High School clinched the top prize! Comprising talented students Jonathan Hall, Landen Childress, Cedric Dennis, Cooper Carmen, and Landen Brown Cline, the team identified a significant need for improvements at the United Way of Central Kentucky’s community garden. You know that feeling when you see potential in something? These students saw that potential and decided to do something about it!

They proposed a groundbreaking solution: a state-of-the-art irrigation system designed to enhance the efficiency of the garden. The proposed system features stationary sprinklers, soil moisture sensors, and a solar-powered design that integrates a rainwater collection system. Talk about eco-friendly innovation! With these improvements, the garden can achieve precise water management, ultimately leading to optimal plant growth while cutting down on waste. Plus, they’ve included a nifty addition: a Raspberry Pi that allows manual control of the system, ensuring that individual plants receive just what they need.

To really raise the bar on community gardening, they also proposed building a new greenhouse to support year-round growing opportunities, ensuring that the community can enjoy fresh produce no matter the season.

Acknowledging the Students’ Hard Work

Missy Mills, the faculty sponsor for the EHS team, expressed her pride, stating, “This competition is an incredible opportunity for our students to apply their knowledge and creativity in a real-world context. Seeing their hard work recognized with this prize is truly rewarding, and we’re excited to see their project come to life in the community.”

Additional Honors for EHS Students

But the success didn’t stop there! EHS teams swept some other competitive categories as well. Kelsey Wayen, Aryana Howard, Lola Terry, and Evangeline Turner took home the award for Best Presentation with their project addressing the critical issue of food waste in school cafeterias. This problem has many facets, impacting finance, the environment, and ethics, making their project a timely and important effort.

Additionally, fellow EHS students Passion Wright, Alyssa Andrews, Zach Marcus, Landon Atcher, and Aiden Aleman were honored for the Best Project Plan with their thoughtful design of an aquatic chair and lift, created to enhance accessibility for individuals with physical disabilities.

Looking Forward to Future Innovations

The winning team received a generous prize of $10,000, which will go towards implementing their irrigation project in spring 2025. What an exciting time for the students and the Elizabethtown community!

Educators intrigued by this remarkable challenge can find out more about future opportunities by reaching out to Altec directly. The spirit of innovation is alive and well in Elizabethtown, and we can’t wait to see the fruits of these students’ hard work blossom in the future!