2017 WINNER

NYC iSchool, New York, NY

An adventurous street artist, Jack chose garbage as his canvas. His iconic signature tag—the stylized marker-drawn outline of a 1959  medium-format Yashica-A camera and the words "Who Shot Who?"— began appearing in his neighborhood on hundreds of items discarded and left on the curb, sparking puzzlement, pleasure, and conversations that wouldn't have happened otherwise. His quirky street art offered his neighbors unexpected, new ways of interacting with each other and with urban space. Jack plans to study Art at Yale University.

2017 WINNER

Coventry High School, Coventry, CT

Caring deeply about the need to raise awareness about environmental sustainability and the need for more healthy food in his high school cafeteria and local food pantries, Alexander addressed both issues simultaneously by building a solar-powered aquaponic geodesic dome at his school that will help educate and feed his community. He will study Environmental Science at the University of Connecticut.

2017 WINNER

Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC

Convinced that empathy and communication are the building blocks of world peace, Gavrielle created "Middle East Skype Sessions," an organization that facilitates conversations between teenagers in the U.S. and teenagers in Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Pakistan and Afghanistan. She will major in Performance Studies and Peace and Conflict Resolution, with a minor in Middle East Studies, at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

2017 WINNER

Veterans Memorial High School, Brownsville, TX

Despite the discrimination and hostility, widespread illiteracy, and tremendous poverty endured by the Mexican American residents of the Rio Grande Valley, where Ana lives, Ana knew that the region was also a site of vibrant creativity. She founded an artist collective in South Texas, "Artistas de la Frontera," to help poets, painters, photographers, muralists, and others inspire and support one another through poetry slams, exhibits, and a zine. She will study Acting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

2017 WINNER

Staples High School, Westport, CT

After seeing his grandfather suffer from excruciating low back pain, Neal devoted himself to developing an ingenious process to reduce the scarring that often occurs during back surgery. Combining the use of hydrogels with modeling prototype spinal columns through 3-D printing, Neal's innovative intervention could have revolutionary and global impact. He will be a high school senior in 2017-2018.

2017 WINNER

Bronx High School of Science, Bronx, NY

The distinctive mathematical model and unorthodox conceptual framework in computational science that George developed can pave the way for a potentially groundbreaking approach to resolving some obstacles to the development of a large-scale quantum computer. He will major in Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. WATCH VIDEO

2017 WINNER

Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT

Troubled that there was no user-friendly, low-cost diagnostic test for the early detection of atherosclerosis—the leading precursor to heart attacks and strokes and the leading cause of death worldwide—William filled this gap with a creative, life-saving device of his own design.  He developed an inexpensive, self-administered, tattoo-based biosensor patch resembling a Band-Aid that can reliably detect arterial plaque build-up. He will study Bioengineering and Computer Science at Stanford University.

2017 HONORABLE MENTION

Daniel Hand High School, Madison, CT

Christopher designed an innovative 3D printing curriculum for middle school students. He will be a high school senior in 2017-18.

2017 HONORABLE MENTION

St. Paul Catholic High School, Bristol, CT

Melissa invented a lap desk with a crank-powered light to help children in areas without electricity read and write at night. She will study Entrepreneurship at Bryan University.

2017 HONORABLE MENTION

Engineering and Science University Magnet School, West Haven, CT

Dana created inventive classes called "Code Pink, Code Blue, Code You" to encourage girls to explore computer science. She will study Biomedical Engineering at Yale University. 

2017 HONORABLE MENTION

Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology, New York, NY

Jeffrey developed software that helps teachers and guidance staff at his school do their jobs more efficiently.  He will study Computer Science at the State University of New York, New Paltz.

2017 HONORABLE MENTION

Canton High School, Canton, CT

Elora produced thoughtful chemotherapy companion bags to provide comfort and aid to patients going through chemotherapy.  She will attend the University of Hartford.

2017 HONORABLE MENTION

Engineering and Science University Magnet School, West Haven, CT

Kadir developed an online, student-written publication to inform students city-wide of what is happening in all the high schools in the New Haven area and to give all students the chance to hone their skills as journalists and photographers.   He will be a high school senior in 2017-2018.

2017 HONORABLE MENTION

Farmington High School, Farmington, CT

Skyler designed and built durable turtle basking platforms that will enhance the health and well-being of the local turtle population while allowing park visitors to view the turtles.  He will study Biomedical Engineering at Trinity College in Hartford, CT.