Sponsored by
Media Contact:
Jean Melech
KC STEM Alliance
816-809-9522
melechje@kcstem.org
KC STEM Alliance hosted the fourth annual Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Senior Showcase on Wednesday,
April 15, 2015 at Union Station. The Showcase celebrated graduating PLTW students and highlighted their
senior capstone projects from the Engineering Design and Development (EDD) and Biomedical Innovations (BI)
courses. Robin Schott, PLTW Vice President addressed the group of aspiring engineers and congratulated
them on their accomplishments. Schott said, “With 268 students from 30 area high schools, the Kansas City
PLTW Senior Showcase is one of the largest PLTW student events in the country.”
PLTW – Kansas City Engineering Design Competition
Thirty-four student teams submitted projects to compete in the first annual PLTW-Kansas City Engineering
Design Competition which was judged on-line. The top ten teams were recognized at the Senior Showcase
and the top three teams were awarded scholarship prizes and awards for their respective schools. The
winning team of Jackson Daniel and Markus Gentry from Blue Springs High School designed the “Zoomy,” a
creative new device for storing electrical cords and won a $5000 scholarship from KC STEM Alliance.
KC STEM Innovator Awards
Five additional teams won Innovator Awards during the Showcase. Teams were identified and recognized for
innovativeness and marketability. Sixteen local entrepreneurs and business leaders served as investor judges
and gave “Investor Bucks” to top prospects. Commerce Bank hosted lunch for students and tallied the
“Investor Bucks” to identify the winning projects, which included new inventions and enhancements for cross
country runners, guitars, lawnmowers, walkers and snack containers.
Workshop on Entrepreneurship (June 11)
The top fifteen teams are invited to attend an Entrepreneurship Workshop and Product Development and
Assessment hosted by mentors from KCSourceLink and the Center for Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Development (C.E.E.D.) Following completion of the workshop, top teams will have the opportunity to apply
for scholarships to complete the Kauffman FastTrac NewVenture program.
The PLTW Senior Showcase and scholarship awards were made possible with the generous support of KC
STEM Alliance sustaining partners. For more information, go to www.kcstem.org.
PLTW-Kansas City Engineering Design Competition
Place
Project Name
Team Members
School Name
Teacher
College Plans
1st
Zoomy Cord Organizer
Jackson Daniel
Markus Gentry
Blue Springs High School
Angie Schnackenberg MCC-Blue River/Mechanical Engineering
MCC-Longview/Electrical Engineering
2nd
WWE Cord Saver
Ryan Workman
Trenton Wahl
Blue Springs High School
Angie Schnackenberg Militay/Mechanical Engineering
Graceland University/Business Administration
3rd
Grip EZ
Nick Swanson
Nick Quintana
Zach Schollmeyer
Blue Springs South High School
Ryan Messik
Missouri Science & Technology/Aerospace Engineering
MCC-Longview/Mechanical Engineering
University of Missouri-Columbia/Mechanical Engineering
Commendation
Chill-Z
Jacob Krska
Zachary Gehring
Samuel House
Blue Springs South
Ryan Messik
Kansas State University/Mechanical Engineering
Military
MCC-Longview/Mechanical Engineering
Commendation
Roaming Garden
Jesse Peters
Ian Whittlesey
Winnetonka High School
Nick Schwieder
Missouri Science & Technology/Computer Science
Missouri State/Computer Science
Commendation
Pouring Aid Apparatus
Kyrene Geroche
Alex Lapp
Liberty North High School
Brett Kisker
UMKC/Engineering
University of Central Missouri/Computer Science
Commendation
Project Reach for the Stars
Emily Niederbremeer
James Onnen
Shawnee Mission South High School Greg Thiel
Commendation
Scholar Support App
Connor Wheeler
Isaac Murray
Blue Springs High School
Angie Schnackenberg University of Missouri - Columbia/Chemical Engineering
Univeristy of Missouri - Columbia/Electrical Engineering
Commendation
Odorous Glove Project
Nathan Gonzalez
Megan Childs
Blue Springs South
Ryan Messick
Undecided/Aerospace Engineering
Missouri Science & Technology/Mechanical Engineering
Commendation
Intelligent Nightstand
Montana Miller
Alexandria Krummel
Kearney
Mary Howard
UMKC/Computer Science and Math
Undecided/Engineering
Colorado State University/Chemical Engineering
undecided/Engineering
KC STEM Innovator Awards
1st Place
Fast Track
Luis Perez
Eric Vila
Winnetonka High School
UMKC/Mechanical Engineering
Missouri Science & Technology/Mechanical Engineering
2nd Place
Parallel Vibrato
Raz Loback
Matthew Ely
Shawnee Mission South High School
Shawnee Mission South High School
University of Kansas/Mechanical Engineering
Illinois Institute of Technology/Mechanical Engineering
3rd Place
Lawnmower Deck Cleaning Apparatus Brett Wiley
Clayton Olson
Liberty North High School
Missouri Science & Technology/Mechanical Engineering
MCC-Business & Technology/Electrical Engineering
4th Place
Boyd Walker
Devyn Martinez
Blue Springs High School
Kansas State University/Architect
5th Place
Telescoping Can
Talon Rayburn
Matthew Miller
Blue Springs South High School
MCC-Longview/Engineering
University of Missouri-Columbia/Mechanical Engineering