Young inventors take top prizes

WANTAGE — Two groups of High Point Regional High School students took top honors this year and a total of $800 in prize money at the 2nd Annual Edison Invention Challenge, held on April 22 at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Sponsored by the Edison Innovation Foundation, the competition asked student teams to design, prototype and present inventions that had an alternative energy theme.

Bright ideas Juniors Luke Haggerty, Mike DeFalco and Mike Finocchiaro took first prize with their car exhaust charger design. Using a wind turbine as inspiration, this team designed a working model of a miniature wind turbine located in a car exhaust system to spin a rotary generator to make electricity for use on board a vehicle, or to charge batteries in a hybrid vehicle.

“The wind is going to blow one way or the other — why not use it?” asked Luke Haggerty.

Second place went to Alex Del Valle, Douglas Deutsch and Justin Malone, also juniors. They used solar panels and LED lights to provide an alternative to the energy intensive lighting now used in the Lincoln Tunnel. Justin Malone says his team spent two and half weeks doing research and then five days building their invention. They worked with a mentor from the Port Authority, who told them the agency spends $289,000 per year on electricity. They believe their idea could greatly lower electricity costs.

“It's a win-win situation,” says Justin. “The savings can be used for cleaning and maintaining the tunnel.”

To market, to market Both teams are in the process of conducting additional research and reaching out to potential suitors to share their idea with. The first-place team was asked to do a video of their invention for a national recognition program for young inventors. The second-place team was encouraged by the judges and engineers at PSE&G to take their idea further.

Last year, High Point took third place in the first year of the Challenge. The boys' teacher, Brian Drelick, said although he was “a bit surprised” that both teams won this year, “both groups really did address world problems and presented themselves to the judges in a professional manner.”

“Both groups felt a great deal of ownership towards their solutions.”

Drelick said he and the students will assess what needs they have and come to a cooperative decision on how the prize money will be used.