1/29/13 - A group of local high school students have been recognized for their innovative idea to help save lives of people swimming in the Great Lakes. 11 students from Williamston High Schoolâs InventTeam were named as Grand Prize winners Saturday of the 2012 Young Innovators Competition. Organized by the Prima Civitas Foundation, the competition distributed more than $10,000 in cash prizes at an awards ceremony Saturday in East Lansing. The contest is designed to challenge 6th - 12th grade students in Michigan to submit business ideas for new products, solution-focused ideas, and mobile applications. The Williamston team won $2,500 for their Offshore Rip Current Alert system. Known as ORCA, itâs designed to detect rip currents in the Great Lakes and warn people of the danger. This device, contained in a buoy, is powered by solar energy and described as easily deployable and cost effective. Other winners submitted ideas that ranged from food pantry apps to water purification devices and represented a wide range of Michigan cities including Ann Arbor, Detroit, Dexter, Flint, Lansing, Muskegon and Traverse City. The foundation will now work with the Williamston students to locate local resources for nurturing and launching ORCA. (JK)
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