On Wednesday, December 18, 2019, Belaire Magnet High School students shared their sustainable and renewable energy inventions at Project Shark Tank.
Project Shark Tank is a 9-week creative entrepreneurial Project Based Learning assignment that has given students the responsibility of creating a useful invention or improving an existing invention and making it environmentally friendly or putting a renewable energy aspect within the final product. Students in the Engineering and Robotics classes have been presented a driving or challenge question/s and throughout the PBL process have come up with an answer. The projects were based on two driving questions: "What product can you create or improve that is environmentally friendly or uses renewable energy? and How can this environmentally friendly or renewable energy product be marketed to the masses?
The event was a fictional rendition of the popular television program, Shark Tank. The judges could negotiate equity in the business ideas and financial support between $300,000 - $700,000.
The panel of community judges were Deon Guillory (anchor WVLA, Baton Rouge), Dawn D. Collins (school board member and founder of Coget Concepts and Behavioral Concepts, LLC.), Byron Turner (Belaire High School Alumni President and founder of US Express Track Club), Meghin McGee (Masterpieces by Meghin and Black Business Women of Baton Rouge), Christa Johnson (makeup artist and member of Black Business Women of Baton Rouge), Brandon Scott (Vice President, Scott Fence, USA, LLC) and Ashley K. Shelton (Executive Director, Power Coalition).
The projects:
“Eco-Stackables: Sustainable Solutions, Stacked”
Student Presenters: Jonathan Saavedra, Gabriella Bonila, Christopher Pavon, Naveah Bayonne
Eco-stackables is a home-safe self composting unit that can be connected to a kitchen sink. By using an on and off valve, Eco-stackables diverts kitchen waste from the garbage disposal to the unit. The waste is divided into two parts, the leche (a liquid fertilizer) and the compost that can be used in gardening. Special care was made to ensure odor containment. The compost can remain in the unit for up to 3 months. The unit can be self installed and is easily cleaned with water.
Paper Pine-Crete Bricks
Student Presenters: Amadou Fall, Minh Le, Angie Tobias
Paper Pine-Crete Bricks were created for garden enhancement such as garden brick pathway, garden bench, brick edging for garden beds, brick edging for walkway, tree ring, raised planters, garden markers, and colorful yard art. It is comparable to any landscaping brick on the market, yet it is less expensive to manufacture and more affordable for consumers. Paper Pine Crete bricks are slated to be distributed at Home Depot stores in the US and the business midek plans for expanded distribution globally.
Waste Away, LCC
Student Presenters: Christine Whitley, Kerrin Whitley and Michael Matthews
Waste Away is an ingenious and creative home decor company that specializing in upcycling and repurposing waste, specifically plastic. Their flagship products are recycled tire Christmas Wreaths and plastic spoon pineapple lamps. Plans are pending for a national website release and negotiations with Walmart for wholesale distribution.
The attendees enjoyed a seafood dinner prepared with 200 lbs of Louisiana seafood donated by the Lieutenant Governor’s Office.
About Belaire High School: Belaire is a creative sciences and arts magnet high school in Baton Rouge, LA. Belaire promotes student learning through a diverse variety of rigorous and engaging curriculum activities that are STEAM centered (science, technology, engineering, arts,and mathematics).