Students create innovative solutions in alternative energy, healthcare, science

Twenty teams of local students from five different high schools across four school districts in the Great Lakes Bay Region — Bay City, Freeland, Midland, and Saginaw, are hard at work on the projects for the 13th annual A.H. Nickless Innovation Award. Currently in the Phase Two of the competition, students are preparing to turn in their reports next month, and present their projects live in April at Saginaw Valley State University. More than $35,000 in STEM education grants and $42,500 in scholarships will be awarded to the three winning teams. 

Since its inception in 2013-2014, more than 500 students have presented at the A.H. Nickless Innovation Award competition, which has awarded over $760,000 to participants and their schools. The 13- to 18-year-old students have shared their solutions and innovative problem-solving responses to real-world issues, including alternative energy, healthcare, science, and technology each year. 

The following teams are advancing along in the competition’s Phase Two: Herbert Henry Dow High School in Midland, Midland High School, Freeland High School, John Glenn High School in Bay City, and Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy. 

Each team identified a problem and submitted a two-page proposal to address the real-world issue. Those teams that advanced to Phase Two then received a $1,000 grant to conduct research and develop a viable solution. These solutions are due March 31, and presented during a daylong, free-to-the-public event on April 25 at SVSU. 

Jack Kidwell is the administrator for the A.H. Nickless Innovation Awards, and has been involved with the awards since the beginning. He helps facilitate and update the website, and works with the judges. 

“The Nickless Family Charitable Foundation was formed by a husband and wife — Art and Helen Nickless,” Kidwell says. “After Helen passed away, Mr. Nickless created the foundation and funded it to honor his wife through a gift he made for Bay City. Upon his death, more money came into the foundation and now his children and grandchildren take care of his estate through the Nickless Foundation. The daughters and grandchildren wanted to find a way to honor the patriarch of the foundation. Working with them, we designed and created the award to honor Mr. Nickless.”

Getting to witness the student’s innovative ideas each year is rewarding and educational for all parties involved — students, teachers/mentors, the general public, and those working behind-the-scenes volunteering with the awards. 

Kidwell says seeing the high caliber of work and long commitment required of the students is impressive. 

“They’re devoting about nine months of work to something in order to obtain a scholarship if successful,” he says. “Seeing the results of what those students come up with as far as the level of work they do and the responsibility they undertake, it’s nice to see the teams interact during the course of the competition.”

Over the years, Kidwell has seen an ongoing level of sophistication in the student projects when “the best and brightest students in STEM” come together to understand science and utilize advanced programming. 

“It’s been interesting to see how in-depth some of the teams get in regards to the types of projects they undertake,” he says. “One project that comes to mind was from a team who created a saltwater desalination plant that was the size of a card table. They could take salt water and turn it into drinking water, and even handed out samples. Through ionization and other things, they didn’t use any chemicals. That one stood out in my mind because it could be used on a practical basis and would be an interesting thing to have.”

Not only does the competition help STEM students possibly get recruited to a university or receive college scholarships, it also provides a helpful boost to internship applications at companies. These dollar amounts make a real-life impact to many students, some of whom decide to stay regionally to fulfill their post-secondary education and career goals. 

“When the first place winners take away a $5,000 scholarship, that certainly makes a difference in the ongoing education they’re able to get as they move forward,” Kidwell says. “Ideally, by helping to show there is business and capabilities for these students to do well in this region, getting STEM students to stay here or to come back is one of the highly-desired outcomes, too.”