DURYEA – Area students took part in SCHOTT’s inaugural Innovation Challenge, which aimed to encourage the generation of ideas and creativity among high school students.
The competition was available to students in ninth through 12th grades who were attending public high schools close to one of the company’s manufacturing facilities, such as the Pittston Area School District, Lebanon County Career and Technology Center, The Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County, Worcester Technical High School, and Vincennes Lincoln High School.
Participants were asked to submit an original business concept that uses glass to enhance everyday life. Three finalists were chosen from eight submissions and were given the task of presenting their ideas to a panel of judges consisting of SCHOTT employees. The evaluation criteria for these concepts focused on innovation, practical application, and the ability to tackle specific challenges or improve daily life.
• Shay Daniels from Abington Heights High School & CTC of Lackawanna County secured first place. Shay proposed “Gamma-Ray Fiber Optics,” an innovative idea aimed at utilizing glass for precise medical treatments by concentrating gamma rays to target and eliminate diseased cells without affecting surrounding healthy tissues.
• J’cier Santana from Worcester Technical High School claimed second place with the “Automatic Window Tinter,” a pragmatic solution for automatically adjusting the tint of vehicle windows based on external light levels, enhancing driver comfort and safety.
• Thomas Burke from Abington Heights High School landed third place. Thomas introduced “the Ani-View,” a window equipped with an LED system that can switch between a view of the outside world and electronic images, providing therapeutic benefits for individuals suffering from seasonal depression by altering their environmental visuals.
