Oscar Lee, Ian Wang, IMSA

OPIS is an interactive app that simulates the environmental and economic impacts of oil pipeline spills. It combines geospatial mapping of U.S. energy infrastructure with a regression model that predicts spill damage based on
historical data. By transforming complex datasets into a user-friendly, visual tool, OPIS helps the public and policymakers understand local risks, past incidents, and potential consequences in order to help environment
protection efforts.

Oyuka Battulga, Stephanie Jiang, Sunni Friedman, Glenbrook South HS

This project addresses plastic pollution by developing biodegradable fishing lures made from natural, non-toxic materials. Traditional soft plastic lures harm aquatic ecosystems through microplastics and chemical leaching. We aim to develop, test, and refine a sustainable fishing lure that performs like commercial lures during use and safely decomposes in water, reducing environmental impact. 

Andrew Sandoval, Talia Robinson, Romeoville HS

We are developing a student-run initiative that transforms discarded paper into functional notebooks through a low-cost, circular production system. By diverting local paper waste and optimizing water reuse, we reduce environmental impact while advancing environmental justice. This project addresses
inequities in access to educational materials by providing sustainable, upcycled supplies to underserved communities. Guided by the principle “For Every Note Worthy Need,” we aim
to create a scalable model that empowers schools to implement solutions that are both environmentallyresponsible and socially equitable.

Eric Chen, Isaac Lee, Matthew Park, Nikhil Baman, IMSA

RideCrew is a social carpooling app designed to reduce traffic and greenhouse gas emissions by making it easy to coordinate rides with people you trust. Users can connect with friends and family, see who is attending the same events, and request or offer rides based on available seats. Making progress towards a pilot program in youth sports with the Naperville Park District, our app focuses on simplifying transportation while tracking usage and environmental impact. By increasing passengers per car, RideCrew promotes convenience, stronger connections, anda more sustainable way to travel.

Mishi Patel, Ishika Vakharia, IMSA

ECOVision is a sustainable materials project focused on converting corn stover, an agricultural waste product, into biodegradable foam by combining the waste, oyster
mushroom mycelium, and sawdust. Currently, corn waste has no effective usage and traditional foam contains high levels of petroleum. Our solution positively impacts the
environment by properly utilizing corn waste, and also reducing the usage of petroleum by replacing traditional styrofoam with a biodegradable alternative. The project
aims to make ECOVision foam equally durable,
lightweight, and able to be used for a variety of
applications.

Sejal Gore, Bhavya Swaminathan, Metea Valley HS

This project aims to empower high school students to speak up about climate issues and advocate for environmental changes, and aims to promote a bill that will make plug-in solar, an
inexpensive yet effective form of solar energy, more accessible. We are advocating for Bill SB3104, which makes plug-in solar
legal in Illinois. Additionally, we are asking interested high school students to put together advocacy materials (such as videos,
flyers, social media accounts, etc.) so that they can stay informed and get involved with climate action. Furthermore, to make this program even more accessible, a “climate week” initiative will be implemented in schools to increase advocacy for other climate issues that students are interested in, and at the end of this week, the student with the highest-impact campaign or project will receive a reward.

Bodvita Rebba, Marissa Vitorillo, Metea Valley HS

Our project is focused on combating algae blooms in the Fox Valley River. We are comparing nature-based flaoting mats that pull nitrogen and phosphorus out of the river with
technological interventions such as bouys that capture the algae that we can then turn into energy sources.

Tai Nghiem, Tien Nghiem, Pranshu Nautiyal, Naperville Central HS & IMSA

The Makerspace for Sustainable Impact is an educational initiative in Naperville designed to equip students with the tools to make sustainable local change. Workshops in upcycling and repair techniques will empower students to transform waste into innovative solutions.

Abhinav Byju, Gautam Kumar, Kaveri Samanta, Roshan Pasumarti, Neuqua Valley HS

The Green Stamp Initiative tries to use rewards to incentivize consumers to buy eco-friendly products. It achieves this by giving consumers a green stamp when they spend $15 or more. This green stamp would then be used in the future for raffles and other prizes. We would try to partner with local small businesses at first and get consumer feedback before scaling up to larger corporations. By doing the Green Stamp
Initiative, we're able to also promote small businesses, leading to more sales for them.

Achala Nagareshwara, Gabriela Lombanarias, Neuqua & Metea Valley HS

This program will implement a rewards based platform that incentivizes individuals to adopt eco-friendly habits. Members earn points and recognition for completing sustainable actions, fostering a responsible and engaged
community. Partnering with environmentally conscious businesses that support nonprofits, the program creates a mutually beneficial ecosystem. Designed as a LinkedIn-style
website, the platform also features an interactive DIY hub where users upload photos of old clothing and Pinterest boards to receive creative upcycling ideas that inspire sustainable living.

Rakshita Ruparel, Mariana Ostapiv, Mia brooks, Abby Pobonzy, Naperville North HS

What if the plastic bag you used today outlives you… by centuries? Soft plastics can sit in landfills for hundreds of years, and since they’re not accepted in most curbside recycling programs, almost all of them end up in landfills. Even compostable options don’t completely solve the
problem. Around 95% still go to landfills, where they act just like regular plastic. So what’s the better option? Meet landfill-biodegradable. Planet Promise creates sandwich and garbage bags designed to actually break down in landfill
conditions, biodegrading over 90% faster than traditional soft plastics. Same convenience, but better for the planet. Want to try it out? Pre-order now at planetpromiseplastics.com

Abigail Peterson, Samriddhi Patra, Neuqua Valley HS

Our project aims to collect waste plastic products through local drives, which will then be converted into 3D printer filament through a process involving shredding and drying the plastic, then molding it and winding it into a filament with an extruder machine. This filament will then be donated to public libraries and schools.

Arun Muthukkumar, Idhant Ranjan, Varun Kalidindi, IMSA & Neuqua Valley HS

AirAware is a real-time, trustworthy air-quality monitoring "agent" using a network of low-cost PM2.5 sensors. The system will (1) clean and fuse dual-sensor data to assign a trust score to each reading, (2) detect meaningful events
such as rain-driven PM2.5 washout, smoke/pollution spikes, and sensor failures using machine learning, and (3) forecast short-term air quality with calibrated uncertainty and
community-facing alerts.

Ariel Go, Sarah Hu, Adlai Stevenson HS

Laundry is a highly prominent way microfibers, a type of microplastic, can get into our environment. They end up inside plants, animals, and even humans. These microfibers can cause irreversible harm to such organisms and to
combat this, we designed a laundry filter. Our reusable filter attaches to a laundry machine’s drain hose to catch all the microplastics that would otherwise end up in our oceans. A
sustainable way to reduce the amount of microfibers in our planet that come from such a daily task. We hope to share and grow our design to better the world around us.

Aidan Chang, Lucas He, IMSA

Food waste is a problem that everyone everywhere faces, from individuals to businesses to countries. Our plan is to use a low cost, high efficiency machine learning model to find hidden patterns in chronological food waste data to accurately predict the amount of food waste for the upcoming time interval. Since nothing can really predict the future, we aim to minimize the amount of food waste generated by both consumers and businesses. Our ultimate
goal is to make our customers Leftoverless.

Granth Shetty, Gyan Shetty, Keshav Arun, Waubonsie Valley HS

What if the very sunlight powering our future is slowly destroying it? UV radiation degrades solar panels over time, creating excess waste and frequent replacement. UV also has a detrimental impact on the panel’s performance and
electrical efficiency. BioShield aims to build towards a solution for this issue by testing and comparing different plant-derived compounds with UV-protective properties within nanocellulose film systems to determine the optimal type to use as a protective film for solar panels. Plant-derived compounds additionally ensure sustainability and affordability as they are abundant, renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic, making them an eco-friendly protectant for solar panels.

Sakthidharan Karthikeyan, Sanjith Balamurali, Metea Valley HS

The solar powered automated irrigation system will use soil moisture and a solar-powered pump to deliver water to plants only when they actually need it. We will have a microcontroller (like an Arduino) that will process the
sensor data and will activate a small water pump being controlled by solar energy when needed.

Akshith Reddy Narravula, Gurur Sanka, Medha Bhat, Neha Koteru, Tajesh Sanka, Naperville North HS

Ever thought, "I have nothing to wear"? Tired of wasting time and clothes while contributing to fashion’s environmental footprint? Outfit Oracle is a new app idea designed to help you make smarter, more sustainable wardrobe choices; all while reducing textile waste and making the most of what you already own. Take just a
minute of your time to fill out our quick interest survey and share your thoughts to help us shape a tool that makes choosing outfits easier, faster, and more sustainable. Smarter closets. Sustainable choices. Confident you. That’s
Outfit Oracle.

Alani Castellanos, Jakryah Stringer, Lisa Ramirez, Renato de La O, Sky Sims, Travis Bounds, Carver Military Academy

We are developing a model house prototype powered entirely by solar energy. The project focuses on sustainable design principles to create a smart, energy-efficient home.