Young minds, big solutions: Students pitch ideas to change the world at ASU

From cutting-edge technology to environmental tools, high school students from across Arizona came to Arizona State University to present their innovative ideas to solve real-world problems. “Change the World: Rising Innovator Challenge” was an event that not only highlighted the students’ creativity but also their determination to make an impact in their communities.

An ASU Preparatory Academy high schooler from Casa Grande joined the competition for a second time. Focusing on environmental sustainability, Debora Mendoza brought a new project with her. Her project, “Mash the Trash,” focused on the growing issue of community trash.

“While Casa Grande is not as big as cities like Phoenix or Tucson, we still have a big problem with trash,” Mendoza said. She cited a very alarming fact that “Phoenix is in one of the dirtiest metropolitan cities in the United States.”

Mendoza’s project sought to encourage people to engage in activities that use sustainable, eco-friendly products, because Arizona's recycling rate is lower than the national average. 

Change the World was a way to honor young minds like Mendoza. It was not only for their creativity but also for their leadership and courage in dealing with intricate problems. The event aimed to recognize students for their initiative and creativity in developing ideas that make a difference in society. Every student should be proud of themselves.

The winners of different categories were announced, and the range of student work was reflected in the results. Seth Nonnamaker of ASU Prep in Casa Grande won the Art category with his project on AI data centering in the Everglades. The Performance category winner, Nicolle Lara of Westview High School, was named the overall winner. The Exhibit category had a rare first-place tie among five projects, ranging from water quality testing to innovative computing solutions.

Art Category (13 Projects)

• 1st Place: Seth Nonnamaker – ASU Preparatory Academy Casa Grande (11th grade) “AI Data Centers in the Everglades”

• 2nd Place: Samantha Alamilla, Audrie Gastelum, and Max Peralta – ASU Preparatory Academy Downtown Phoenix (11th grade) ”Animal Cruelty”

• 3rd Place: Frida Mpayimana – Tolleson Union High School (11th grade) “Hidden Truths”

Performance Category (4 Projects)

• Overall Winner: Nicolle Lara – Westview High School (11th grade) “The Blind Eye”

Exhibit Category (60 Projects)

Tie for First Place:

• Iraj Shroff – BASIS Chandler (11th grade) “A Rapid, Low-Cost, Smartphone-Based Water Quality Assessment System for Bacterial Detection”

• Maxwell Jolley, Vinny Ford, Quinten Dusthimer – Ironwood High School (12th grade) “Supercomputing for Cheap: Cell Phone Compute Cluster”

• Sid Ramkumar – Hamilton High School (11th grade) “AI vs. Killer Plants: A Random Forest Model to Combat Buffelgrass”

• Ben Muhnjuh (9th) & Rylan Flores (12th) – ASU Preparatory Academy Casa Grande “Burrowing Owls”

But beyond the awards, there is an even bigger picture being driven home: today’s students aren’t waiting to make a difference; they’re making it happen. From environmentalism to technology to advocacy, today’s young leaders are making their mark on the future, one idea at a time.

For Mendoza, it was not just about presenting her project but also seeing what her future could possibly be. As she thinks about what is next for her in college, she wants to further develop ideas that bring business and innovation together, where she can deepen her passion for creating change.