Juniors win Northeast Ohio Innovates STEM commercialization awards

STEM STANDOUTS: Celebrating their award-winning STEM commercialization plans are juniors Jacob Woodhouse (standing, left), Katia Blackburn, Madeline Karban, John Burwinkel, Dominic Dutton, Skyler Palisin (kneeling, left), Hannah DeRespiris, and Hailey Mullin.

Representatives of Northeast Ohio Innovates visited campus on Wednesday to present awards and cash prizes for STEM commercialization plans developed by juniors in science teacher Miss Kelly Maduri's Honors Chemistry classes.
 
Executive Director Mr. John Klipfell and consultant Mr. Jim Phipps honored these juniors for their creative projects:
 
First-Place Award: Skylar Palisin won a $250 cash prize for her project using pyroelectric infrared sensor technology to protect children from drowning in backyard pools.
  
Second-Place Award: Hannah DeRespiris and Hailey Mullin won $75 each for the Sleep Strap, a device that monitors heart rate and uses a Bluetooth connection to awaken drivers who drift off to sleep.
  
Third-Place Award: Jacob Woodhouse won $100 for his Laser-Engineered Automatic Device for Stopping (LEADS), which communicates with automatic stopping devices in cars to prevent drivers from running red lights.
  
Honorable Mention: John Burwinkel and Dominic Dutton for their project to convert water into pure hydrogen for fuel-cell cars, and Madeline Karban and Katia Blackburn for their water bottle hydration calculator.