Tomorrow's technologists show projects to San Diego community

Students from Crawford and University City high schools, as well as Marshall Middle School, were champions at the seventh annual College, Career and Technical Education (CCTE) Showcase event at Liberty Station.

The event connects business partners with students and teachers to develop a strong foundation for the economic future for San Diego. More than 300 industry professionals volunteer each year as mentors, guest speakers, or advisers for student teams. The students exhibit products they produce and business problems they solve in collaboration with members of the local business community.

This year’s champion in the High School Team category was Crawford High School’s Urban Revolution project that educated students and community members about energy conservation and healthy living. The project provided opportunities for students to work with community members to learn about science, technology and math.

University City High School was named the champion in the High School Open category with a project partnering the Project Lead the Way Biomedical Innovations course grant proposal with Quench and Connect, a non-profit organization. The grant proposal seeks to provide funding for a secondary school in rural Uganda and implement funds for the school to maintain a marketable tilapia fish farm.

Marshall Middle School students examined multiple questions about zoos in the 21st century and which animals should have priority in the San Diego Zoo system in order to be chosen as the Middle School Champion. Student teams researched, designed and built a physical or digital zoo enclosure to best meet the needs of the zoo animal, employees and visitors.

Additional schools recognized for their projects included: Kearny Construction Tech Academy’s Energy Initiative 2020 with a focus on energy efficiency in an effort to cut emissions and reduce dependence on foreign fuel (High School Team category); Mira Mesa High School’s WAMPBAT, a machine that allows a person in a wheelchair to run the infield and outfield practice of a baseball team (High School Open category); and Innovation Middle School’s 3D printed wind turbine which highlights the technology and physics that are involved with the generation of electricity with wind turbines, as well as the creation of these turbines and uses that power an LED light.

For more information about the CCTE Showcase, please contact Ralph West, Interim Director CCTE, at rwest1@sandi.net.