On February 26, the Department of Transportation announced a team of students from the Midd-West School District, Snyder County has been selected as the PennDOT District 3 winner for its third Innovations Challenge, this one focused on litter control.

Team members include Chase Strohecker, Elias Swartz and Reid Dunkelberger, and were mentored by teachers Matt Dietz and Ed Gunkle.

The winning regional team’s innovation was the Automatic Roadside Cleaner (ARC), a rechargeable automated robot controlled through satellite GPS that would effectively clean up litter along the roads as well as disposing it into designated dumping areas.

On February 28, the Department of Transportation announced a team of students from Reach Cyber Charter School in Dauphin County has been selected as the PennDOT District 3 winner for its third Innovations Challenge, this one focused on litter control.

Mentored by Jessica Vernouski, team members include: Audrey Vereshack, Madelyn Vereshack & Elyssia Good

The winning regional team’s innovation was Litter Impact, an app to get users involved in community cleanup in a fun way.

“The Innovations Challenge not only gets students engaged in issues faced by PennDOT, it also introduces them to the many career opportunities available to them with the department,” said District 8 Executive Michael Keiser, P.E. “I congratulate Audrey, Madelyn and Elyssia for their innovative approach and wish them and all of the challenge participants continued success in their future endeavors.”

Background

Since last fall, students have been working hard to solve this year’s challenge: Aside from laws, programs and educational campaigns, what cost-effective, innovative solution can be developed in the next five to 10 years to help PennDOT more efficiently, effectively and safely control litter along roadways?

“Last year, PennDOT spent nearly $13 million cleaning up roadside litter across Pennsylvania,” said Acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “These dollars could have otherwise been spent on delivering a better transportation network and making Pennsylvania a better state in which to live.” 

Now in its third year, the PennDOT Innovations Challenge invites high school students in grades 9-12 to use their problem-solving, creative and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world transportation challenges.

The Innovations Challenge aims to not only help students explore actual transportation challenges that PennDOT is facing, but also open their minds to the very real possibility of working for PennDOT after graduation.

"Students really benefit from opportunities like the PennDOT Innovations Challenge. They apply the skills learned in class as well as research and employ new technologies and concepts to solve real-world problems. It is very satisfying as an instructor to see students invested in their learning,” said Dietz about the experience.

Gunkle added "The PennDOT Innovations Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for students to engage in a real-world problem-solving scenario.  It's exciting to see students work through the stages of researching and developing an idea and then creating a prototype and presentation for a panel of judges.  We are proud of the commitment and effort these students showed throughout." 

Other regional winners will be selected as judging continues who will move on to compete in Harrisburg for the state championship.

The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Traffic Safety Services Association and the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful (KPB) organization are providing a combined total award of $3,000 to be divided among the first, second and third place statewide winning teams.

For more information on the competition, visit PennDOT’s 2020 Student Innovation Litter Challenge webpage.  [The deadline for entries has passed.]  Questions about the Challenge should be directed to: DOTInnovations@pa.gov. 

Visit PennDOT’s Roadside Beautiful webpage to learn more about litter prevention and cleanup programs.

Learn more about new litter prevention initiatives at DEP’s Litter Program webpage.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.

Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.

Sign up now for the 2020 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative and volunteer or set up your own cleanup event from March 1 to May 31.  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

(Photo: Snyder County and Dauphin County winners)

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[Posted: February 28, 2020]

3/2/2020