ASHLAND, Ky. — Youthful technology buffs are seeking a twofer in a competition to apply high-tech knowhow to community problems.
Student groups at Paul Blazer High School and Ashland Middle School are among five state finalists in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition.
It is the same competition an AMS team won last year, netting $170,000 worth of computers and other hardware for their school.
The Blazer project uses a rooftop-based drone to scan the multi-building campus during lockdowns, faculty adviser Jay Hale said.
The team of students, who are members of Blazer’s Student Technology Leadership Program, are designing the drone for production via 3-D printer, and will program it to transmit photos to the school resource officer and administrators.
The middle school project is an app- and web-based compendium of veteran benefit information to help veterans and their families navigate the often complex sea of resources and requirements, according to adviser John Leistner.
The plan calls for providing the app and website to community centers and nursing homes and individuals.
Both projects are in research and development phases and in a couple of weeks the teams will submit more detailed outlines to competition officials in the next step of the competition.