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Ygnacio Valley HS students receive grant to invent technological solution to a real-world problem

Ygnacio Valley HS students receive grant to invent technological solution to a real-world problem

An Ygnacio Valley High School team of 12 students led by engineering teacher Joseph Alvarico and math teacher Tabatha Box has been awarded a Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam® grant in the amount of $7,500 to create an invention geared towards helping people with limited hand mobility regain their independence and reconnect with loved ones and their community. Ygnacio Valley High is one of only eight high schools nationwide to be selected as an InvenTeam this year, and it is the only school in California to earn this honor.

The Ygnacio Valley High School InvenTeam is inventing a solution to assist those with limited ability— whether due to arthritis, cerebral palsy, or other conditions—to use their hands to overcome challenges in their daily lives, such as gripping utensils or using hand gestures to communicate. With more than 50 million adults in the U.S. affected by arthritis and 764,000 people living with cerebral palsy, these challenges are widespread and can become frustrating struggles, leading to feelings of isolation. The YVHS InvenTeam’s goal is to not only improve quality of life for people with limited hand mobility, but also to promote a more inclusive and connected society. 

Alvarico, who is a 2024 California Teacher of the Year, hand-picked the 12 members, who are both male and female students in grades 9-12 including many who are also members of the after-school robotics club he advises, have taught robotics to middle school students, and participate in dual enrollment engineering classes for which they are earning college credit through Diablo Valley College (DVC).

"I thought it would be really cool for students from Ygnacio Valley, with limited resources from low socioeconomic backgrounds, to have the same opportunities that other students do, so we are making this a vehicle not just to help the community, but for the kids to see what’s outside of California," Alvarico said, explaining that the project culminates in a presentation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The team hopes to attract outside mentors in the field of technology and/or Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) support, as well as in-kind donations or monetary support, since the grant will not cover all of the group’s expenses as they develop a working prototype that could lead to a patent. 

The eight teams were chosen by a respected panel of university professors, inventors, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, and college students including former InvenTeam members now working in industry. “The InvenTeams are focusing on solving problems that impact their local communities,” said Leigh Estabrooks, Lemelson-MIT’s Invention Education Officer. “Teams are focusing their technological solutions — their inventions — on inequities in health and wellbeing, environmental issues, and safety concerns. These high school students are not just problem-solvers of tomorrow, they are problem solvers today helping to make our world more equitable, healthier, and safer.”

Students on the YVHS InvenTeam were inspired to pursue their invention after meeting a special education student at their school who is nonverbal and has difficulty moving his hands. "We decided to help him by working on a project to improve hand mobility and fine motor skills for people with lack of ability," said senior Leqi Li. The students also met with MDUSD Special Education Department staff members who work with students needing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) supports to better understand their challenges.

Team members said they are excited to learn how the invention process works and some have personal reasons for joining the team. Althea Danae Vivar, a sophomore, said her grandmother works in a senior care home, where residents sometimes struggle with disabilities. "Sometimes, my grandma would say how lonely they were at the care home and their disability would lead to frustration because they cannot do the things they used to be able to do. This is something that could help."

You can follow the team's progress on Instagram here.  

YVHS InvenTeam

 

  • Joseph Alvarico
  • Ygnacio Valley HS