Dublin, Ohio – Funded by the State of Ohio through the Department of Higher Education and operated as a program of The Ohio Academy of Science, Believe in Ohio is a STEM and entrepreneurship program that teaches students how to commercialize products and services and create business plans that are driven by innovation.
Recently, 110 students from 17 high schools throughout Ohio competed in the second of two Regional Competitions for the opportunity to advance to the 2021 Believe in Ohio State Competition. Student projects are developed and then evaluated either as a STEM Commercialization Plan or a STEM Business Plan. The Believe in Ohio State Competition will take place in late June where they will compete for $250,000 in total scholarship awards.
“STEM and entrepreneurship are a powerful combination that can used to innovate commercialized solutions to problems as a market-based opportunity”, said Michael E. Woytek, Executive Director for The Ohio Academy of Science. Woytek went on to add, “these students are the future professionals needed to propel Ohio’s innovation economy”.
Each of the students advancing from the Regional Competition will receive a $1,000 scholarship to attend any Ohio college, university, or technical college and the opportunity to compete for a $10,000 scholarship at the State Competition.
Believe in Ohio is a free, comprehensive, curriculum-based, STEM and entrepreneurship program for Ohio high school students. The program is designed to create a “Culture of Innovation” and to prepare students to meet the demands of a rapidly changing labor market and become contributors to Ohio’s innovation economy. Believe in Ohio is a program of The Ohio Academy of Science and was collaboratively developed with Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio. For more information about Believe in Ohio, please visit www.believeinohio.org.
The Believe in Ohio Regional Competition Scholars include:
School Name and City Type of Plan Student Name(s) and Grade(s) .
Anna High School – Anna
Individual Mr. Dylan Michael Seigle, 12
Plan Title: Magnetic Phone Holder: Gym Buddy
Bio-Med Science Academy STEM School – Rootstown
Individual Ms. Autumn Margaret Nicole Groen, 12
Plan Title: Carnauba Wax Food Wrap
Individual Mr. Tage G Mahle, 12
Plan Title: MahleTage
Individual Ms. Anna Colgrove, 12
Plan Title: Magnetic Organizer Portfolio
Individual Mr. Garrik Neill Catania, 12
Plan Title: An Easy-use Mountable Fluid Pump
Individual Ms. Rayleigh Stafinsky, 12
Plan Title: Puzzle Storage Innovation
Blanchester High School – Blanchester
Individual Ms. Grace Danielle Irwin, 11
Plan Title: Interstitial Fluid Microneedle Sensor Patch Incorporating Nanoparticles for Monitoring Opioid Use.
Brecksville-Broadview Hts HS- Broadview Hts
Individual Mr. Dominic Michael Policarpo, 11
Plan Title: FormAnalyzr, the Squat and Bench Correction System Using 3D Machine Camera Sensor and Gyroscopic Technology to Give Athletes Feedback and Prevent Injury
Individual Mr. Lucas Andrew Kirin, 12
Plan Title: Handheld Power Tool Guidance System
Team Mr. Zachary Bryan Zywiec, 10 and Mr. Jacob Bryan Zywiec, 12
Plan Title: myFit, the Virtual Try-On and Fitting Clothing Experience
Individual Mr. Logan Jeffrey Nall, 11
Plan Title: SkiCom: Revolutionary AR Skiing Goggles
Team Mr. Jadon Christopher Gamboa, 11, Mr. Jacon Ernest Didea, 11 and Mr. John Junghoon Kim, 11 Plan Title: Uplift
Canfield High School – Canfield
Team Ms. Bridgett Katherine Kelly, 11 and Ms. Julia C Sansoterra, 11
Plan Title: Creating Pothole Filler from Dandelion Latex
Individual Ms. Jordan Marie Helmick, 12
Plan Title: Fertility Bath Bomb
Individual Ms. Emma Dodig-Drahotusky, 11
Plan Title: Naturally Occuring Antiviral Agents for Use on Cell Phones
Team Ms. Madison R Puskar, 12, Ms. Morgan E Carey, 12 and Ms. Marisa F Scheetz, 12 Plan Title: Neutralized Dog Waste Solution
Individual Mr. John Michael Heino, 11
Plan Title: Road Salt Runoff Purification Method
Individual Ms. Aurora Fares, 12
Plan Title: Specialized Dye to Combat Harmful Algal Blooms in Coastal Waters
NIHF STEM HS – Akron
Individual Mr. Owen DeMali, 12
Plan Title: Cycle Akron
Individual Mr. Jamil Wright, 12
Plan Title: Estimation Money Device
Individual Mr. Zaq Brown, 12
Plan Title: Fallback Fire Safety: A resource for wildfire survival
Individual Mr. Sha’Heen Williams, 12
Plan Title: STEM Culture Connection Newsletter
Individual Mr. Justin Segriff, 12
Plan Title: VENT
North Canton Hoover High School – North Canton
Individual Ms. Rachel Marie Noebe, 11
Plan Title: Dash Facts
Individual Ms. Tess Avery Rosler, 10
Plan Title: Growing Thyme: An innovative way to encourage gardening and save the environment.
Individual Ms. Claire Georgia Wood, 10
Plan Title: RainCart: A waterproof covering that clips onto a grocery cart to prevent groceries from getting wet -MORE-
Notre-Dame Cathedral Latin School – Chardon
Team Ms. Liz Brey, 11, Ms. Abby Bouton, 11 and Ms. Cailin Hyslop, 11 Plan Title: Misting Hand Sanitizer Station (EMAW-Station)
Team Mr. Vincent D Mickey, 11, Mr. Brandon D Preseren, 11 and Mr. John Cesen, 11 Plan Title: Ultrasonic Instrument Mouthpiece Cleaner: The Cleanstrument
Team Ms. Vivian Ha, 11, Ms. Zoe Bella Allison, 11 and Ms. Kaitlin Mary Tabernik, 11 Plan Title: Wi-Fi Signal Recognition Tracker (WSRT)
Olmsted Falls High School – Olmsted
Team Mr. Dominic Michael Philbrick, 12 and Mr. John Thomas Skinner, 12 Plan Title: Lux LLC
Individual Mr. Galvin J Morgan, 11
Plan Title: Wellworks Water
Upper Arlington High School – Upper Arlington
Individual Mr. Malachi Gallo Son, 11
Plan Title: Intercept
Valley Forge High School – Parma Heights
Individual Mr. Zachary James Ansbro, 12
Plan Title: Quick Pin Cable Release
VanWert HS – Van Wert
Team Mr. Andrew Li, 12 and Ms. Sophie Grace Rutkowski, 12
Plan Title: Massaging Biometric Compression Sleeve
Team Mr. Zachariah Andrew Mason, 12 and Mr. Octavius Malichi Tucker, 12 Plan Title: The Big Rig Trash Compactor
Westlake High School – Westlake
Individual Mr. Andrew Thomas Cirincione, 12
Plan Title: Modern Video Productions LLC
