LARGO, Fla. – The Pinellas Education Foundation will award a total of more than $30,000 to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of its Next Generation Entrepreneurs and Next Generation Tech Programs at an awards event to be held at the Stavros Institute, 12100 Starkey Road in Largo on Wednesday, April 26 at 5 p.m. Media is welcome to attend. Finalists will have prototypes of their projects available for demonstration where applicable.
At the event, 1st place for each program will receive $10,000, 2nd place will receive $3,500 and 3rd place will receive $1,500. Winners can use the funds to either start their business or to go to college or technical school. Finalists in both programs took part in many different workshops and mentor opportunities with local entrepreneurs in order to hone their product concepts.
Now in its fifth year, the Foundation’s Next Generation Entrepreneurs program celebrates the innovative ideas from high schools students in Pinellas County. This year, more than 97 applications were submitted and 12 were chosen as finalists. They are:
PROJECT NAME |
PROJECT OVERVIEW |
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Sail & Save Lakewood High School |
In the Tampa Bay area, many working and middle class families are price gouged by rental companies that exercise a relative monopoly, while many families within that same demographic have water-sports equipment (such as kayaks and fishing equipment) that they don’t use regularly. We have a solution that would both amortize the cost of this equipment and provide a less expensive and more convenient option for tourists and locals to rent this sporting equipment. |
The Perfect Pitcher Osceola and St. Pete Collegiate |
Waiters and waiters are often hurried and can be found carrying too much, between food and drink orders. This balancing act of food and beverages can result in spillage and unwanted fumbling. Water pitchers are prone to being unintentionally spilled, this results in an extra mess that waiter and waiters generally do not have time to clean up – not to mention it is embarrassing. We have solved this pitcher problem, with the Perfect Pitcher. |
Sleep-Buds Clearwater High School |
The problem of unnecessary discomfort when a person tries to listen to music while going to sleep, without using a speaker. |
Snack Check Clearwater High School |
We are solving the problem of eating out with allergies. Many times when going out to a restaurant a patron will ask their waiter, or even the chef if something has (allergen) in it, they often don’t know, and many people can’t take the chance. We are designing a menu system that combats that. |
Mayachts Eastlake High School |
Flat Feet or fallen arches (pes plans). The lack of unsupported feet causes ligaments and muscle strains. Many shoe brands lack the fundamental support that people need for a healthy structure |
FLASTEM Lakewood High School |
The gender and diversity gap that permeates the STEM industry is also apparent within K-12 classrooms all across Pinellas County. Especially with programming and robotics classes, there are fewer girls and minorities found in advanced STEM classes. According to an alarming report released by US News, the US economy will be facing a shortage of 5 million workers, with STEM jobs composing a majority of those lost jobs. If we don’t get out in front of this situation right now, the world economy will be facing an inescapable job hole, slowing down technological growth and innovative advances. |
HandyWalk Clearwater High School |
Giving handy-cap people the opportunity to cross the cross walk with enough time for them to get to the other side safely. |
ReadingWithUs Osceola Fundamental |
A lot kids/teens don’t understand what they are reading, watching, or listening to. With this app we can help them to understand and provide them with more than enough information to understand everything they read, watch, or listen to. |
T-Wave Camera Eastlake High School |
Everything in our world we can see, we can see with visible light, some technologies allow us to see in other wavelength’s, thermal imaging, x-ray, and ultraviolet. But, none of these can see through a wide range of common materials. We work for the ability to see through the wall in a building, doors, and even the ground itself, to inspect building foundations.
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Fidgit Bit Boca Ciega High School |
I aim to solve the problem of fidgiters in all types of environments. From the school setting to the workplace, the fidgit bit fits in your hand and is discreet. |
Clean Sweep Boca Ciega High School |
I`m going to attempt to solve the problem of the lingering hair on a broom after you sweep. Hair, or dust seems to always latch itself onto the bottom of the broom as you`re cleaning. It then takes more time and effort to clean the bottom of the broom off. |
Zion Largo High School
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I would like to SIMPLY help people get the best deal they can on whatever it is why are looking to buy. We all work hard for our money so let me help you know you are getting the best deal for that hard-earned money. Now, if you are like me, before spending money on something, you do your research for the product that is best for you and you spend hours searching for the best price. However, all of that means spending time and in a world where everyone is not a high school student and does not have that amount of time on their hands, that is where I come in. |
GibbsBucks Coffee Shop Gibbs High School
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As an entrepreneurship class, we decided to startup a student drive coffee business called GibbsBucks. Our teacher Mr. Knox is the CEO of the company. We voted on having a president, vice president, secretary, Public Relations offers, Salesman, Project coordinator, Marketing team, communication team, Accounting team, prepare team, and delivery team.
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The Foundation’s Next Generation Tech program is in its second year and had 57 applications from high school students in Pinellas County. Projects consisted of phone apps, videogames or other plans that encompassed programming and software design.
The top 12 finalists are:
PROJECT NAME |
PROJECT OVERVIEW |
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SaveNTeen Seminole High School
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SaveNTeen is an app similar to GroupOn that provides discounts to High School and College Students. The app is loaded specifically with vendors that High School and College Students frequently use, unlike what is currently available.
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Scanned Eastlake High School
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Taking attendance of large groups for events and meetings is a pain. This problem is experienced on both sides. The signing in and signing out process exemplifies many inefficiencies. Additionally the management side of recording attendance is equally inefficient.
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AnDrive Seminole High School
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We are developing a solution to the problem of wasted time, money, and resources dealing with computer repair, software installation, and file transfer, by creating an app that bundles everything into a simple utility on your phone.
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Eastlake High School
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Students requiring peer tutoring in academic subjects without access to an instructor, at home through the internet.
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STEM LINK Lakewood High School
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Traditional classrooms are not equipped to meet the ever fluctuating demands of the 21st century. As technology expands and revolutionizes the world, we need to make sure that 21st century students have the skills and experiences needed to properly prepare themselves for higher education and careers. According to the U.S Department of Education, over 2 million students are currently homeschooled and over 6.7 million students are taking online classes. The appeal of online classes for most students is a combination of ease as well as enhanced learning due to more online tools. VOLE will be a solution to lack of interest that students show in some subject areas, as well as a way to revolutionize education, so that students in a brick-and-mortar school as well as students taking classes online will receive the same degree of beneficial education.
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LifeBand Gibbs High School
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The lack of portable, decent, accurate, and precise tools for health monitoring.
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Demonsquad Career Academies Seminole
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Video games can help us in many different unnoticeable but fulfilling ways like problem solving, leadership skills, and even with circular thinking by engaging in quests/side quests, battles, puzzles, and even with goals. Everyone has desires and urges that they never get achieve in the real world because they might never have the time to put into their busy lives or that they might be too scared to do it. That’s why games can help us to achieve our goals and help us to go feather in the world. They solve many of our needs of connecting with friends and family, exercising, interest in history and etc. We believe our goal is to create a game that will help our customers to achieve and fulfill their desires in one game play session. The game will be available on PC and will be available to all to play (except for ages under 10) as a free download online.
References: 7 Reasons Video Games Help: http://www.parents.com/kids/development/benefits-of-videogames/?slideId=37205
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Project Divinity Career Academies Seminole
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Every player of video games yearns for an intensively immersive gaming experience every time they boot up their computer or pick up their controller. Hundreds of games, especially in our present times, center around the general concept of immersion. When a spatial presence is created for the player, that player will, in turn, begin to regard the simulated space as their reality, and make choices more conducive to the world they’re immersed in, thus creating an environment where the player will enjoy the game more drastically, and suspend any distractions or ills while within the space presented. Player choice is a very notable part of immersion. This gives the player the opportunity to sympathize with or detest imaginary characters, their actions, and the way the character is presented, and then make a choice that will seemingly alter the player’s progression throughout the game, when in reality, it generally has little effect. Our game will keep in consideration the important factors of immersion, providing an improved experience for the gamer, that will maintain their attention and focus, keeping them thoroughly entertained and immersed, and will also present them with critical choices that will affect their gaming experience.
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Game Squids Career Academies Seminole
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Video games teach children problem solving and creativity. Video games help with children brain development. Our game is a side scrolling game, the character is a narwhal, who lost his family in a hurricane, and trying to get back home. The narwhal has to overcome obstacles like jellyfish and plastic bags, oil,etc. Our game will teach about pollution, and relieve stress to the player.
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V.O.R. Lakewood High School |
Addressing the lack of availability of realistic virtual operating rooms. Providing education resources from anyone such as young adults with an interest in a job in the medical field, to a learning resource for those in medical school.
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VR Science Lakewood High School
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To solve the problem of unengaging science education |
Side Effect Lakewood High School
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This product will be an education as to the side effects of drinking, such as impaired decision making, reaction time, motor skills and a variety of other negative side effects of drinking, as well as highlighting the negative consequence of drinking and driving.
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About The Pinellas Education Foundation
The Pinellas Education Foundation is an independent, non-governmental not-for-profit established in 1986. The Foundation’s mission is to enhance and improve educational opportunities in Pinellas County Schools. Well known Pinellas Education Foundation programs include: Academies of Pinellas, Enterprise Village, Finance Park, Take Stock in Children Scholarships, Youth Connect and Teacher Classroom Grants.