2021 Altec Innovation Challenge Encourages Critical Thinking, Presentation Skills

In the next decade, jobs in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics field are expected to grow two times faster than all other occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Designed to expose local students to careers in STEM, Altec launched its annual Innovation Challenge in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2018. Participating students propose a real-life problem that can be innovatively solved with a STEM-based approach. The winning student teams receive a monetary prize to implement their project at their school.

This year, Altec hosted two Innovation challenges—one in Birmingham and one in its Elizabethtown, Kentucky location, encouraging local students to think outside the box while giving back to their school and their community.

Addressing Food Insecurity in Elizabethtown

In Elizabethtown, the winning team from John Hardin High School sought to improve food insecurity in their community.

For their project, the team of freshmen and sophomores proposed the creation of two aquaculture systems that would be used to grow and harvest aquatic organisms as healthy protein sources for the Warm Blessings Community Kitchen.

“We’re so proud of all our students who participated in today’s contest and thankful for partners like Altec for their investment in our community,” said Hardin County Schools Superintendent Teresa Morgan. “Through collaborations like this, we’re bridging the gap between classroom instruction and career enrichment opportunities.”

Read more about the Elizabethtown competition here.

Reducing the Spread of COVID-19 in Birmingham

The average individual touches 300 surfaces every 30 minutes, and many do not wash their hands before touching these surfaces after coughing or sneezing—this was the premise of the Ramsay IB High School Radiant Rams’ proposal.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses through surface transmission, the Radiant Rams proposed the purchase of 24 Purify One UV lights to disinfect not only shared surfaces, but also students’ personal items that may not be cleaned as frequently.

“Competing in the Altec Innovation Challenge was extremely rewarding for our students,” said Jennifer Gilbert, Ramsay’s career academy coordinator and math and engineering teacher. “They had the opportunity to display their creativity, as well as use skills learned in their engineering classes, to develop a feasible solution to a problem that impacts our community.”

The experience is one the students will remember, Gilbert said.

See more about the plan here.

The 2022 Altec Innovation Challenge

Plans for the 2022 Altec Innovation Challenge are in the works, with plans to expand to more locations. Stay tuned to our website for more details to come in the next few months.