Marine Corps Major General Ryan S. Rideout, Commanding General of the U.S. Marine Corps’ 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and other top military leaders look at the real-world potential of Pennridge students’ innovative prototypes. (Courtesy of David Thomas)
Teams of Pennridge High School students recently participated in a “Shark Tank”-style STEM competition as part of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps’ 250th birthday celebration.
Held in Philadelphia from October 9 to 15, the celebration featured ship tours, concerts, a parade and the STEM competition hosted by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, said a Pennridge School District press release.
This year’s competition called on students to “research a current naval problem and design a prototype that addresses the challenge.” Participants were asked to pitch their solutions to a panel of naval judges, demonstrating their understanding of the issue, the feasibility of their design and its potential impact on naval operations.
The event encouraged students to combine their creativity, STEM skills and teamwork to shape the future of naval innovation. Their prototypes could focus on key operational areas, including ship design and efficiency, navigation, safety and security, sustainability and environmental impact, maintenance and repair and human factors.
The learning objectives emphasized real-world application and communication. Students identified and researched authentic naval problems, applied the engineering design process to craft innovative solutions, demonstrated universal design principles and presented their findings.
Pennridge Superintendent Angelo Berrios, a Marine veteran, was heavily involved in the initial collaboration to involve several Bucks County School Districts in the competition. He was very impressed by the imaginative solutions of the Pennridge students, said the release.
The competition called on students to “research a current naval problem and design a prototype that addresses the challenge.” (Courtesy of David Thomas)“Our students are future leaders and innovators. When they are given access to opportunities that challenge them to think critically and approach problems through a technologically innovative lens, they rise to the occasion every time,” said Berrios. “Competitions like this not only showcase their talent but also prepare them to compete and contribute in a global economy. My hat’s off to our students and to Ms. Thomas for representing Pennridge with such purpose and distinction.”
“Two Gavins and a Finn”: Nature-Inspired Engineering
Seniors Finn Bachman, Gavin Chodoroff and Gavin Mill, calling themselves “Two Gavins and a Finn,” tackled the complex problem of reducing drag on naval ship hulls. Their inspiration came from nature itself, specifically, the hydrodynamic efficiency of shark skin.
Their prototype of Shark Skin Denticles demonstrated how microscopic, V-shaped ridges can reduce turbulence and friction in water. The design offers several potential advantages for naval applications, including drag reduction, improved speed and acceleration, a self-cleaning surface and enhanced maneuverability.
“I am really impressed with the simplicity and low-tech ideas which are very cost-efficient and use nature as a way to create a solution,” said Major General Ryan Rideout, Commanding General of the U.S. Marine Corps’ 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. “Their understanding of nature and how shark skin works, as well as how we could mimic that shark design because it’s already known to be the most efficient swimmer and predator in the water, was brilliant.”
Pennridge High School Seniors, Finn Bachman, Gavin Chodoroff, and Gavin Mill of the team, “Two Gavins and a Finn,” spent several extra hours beyond class time to plan their nature-inspired, innovative idea that mimics millions of V-shaped plastic “shark-skin” denticles that can reduce turbulence and friction in water. (Courtesy of David Thomas)“The Anti-Barnacle Boys”: Powering an Eco-Friendly Future
The second Pennridge team, made up of students Brandon Millili, Elijah Kurzman, Fenix Bock, and Soulayman Abdi, took on the maritime challenge of barnacle buildup on ship hulls, which causes drag and increases fuel use. Calling themselves “The Anti-Barnacle Boys,” the group designed a self-powered, environmentally friendly system to prevent biofouling before it begins.
Their solution combines a Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) with a micro- and nano-textured coating. The result is a sustainable, self-powered, and low-maintenance system that could transform naval maintenance operations.
“This was such a great job and a very timely solution as they look to changes to the hulls of the ships,” said Lt. Cmdr. Kristopher Reyes, a decorated Navy healthcare administrator and former U.S. Navy Comptroller of the Year. “The Navy is doing that every day, too, and we have seen similar ideas to this, but their project has a very good chance of being implemented because of their brilliant power source design that comes from power distribution and not needing more power to be generated. I would tell them and maybe some of their classmates to keep developing the idea and include ways for it to run on automation.”
“I also really enjoyed and was impressed by the low amount of energy consumption — using the momentum of the ship to clear the barnacles by sharing power already coming from the engine,” said Major General Rideout.
The students’ success highlights the strength of Pennridge’s STEM and Enrichment programs, which encourage students to apply scientific principles to solve real-world problems, said the release.
“So many students wanted to participate in the Navy and Marine Corps 250th STEM Challenge, but the event fell on a weekend already packed with student activities and required in-person attendance,” said SueEllenThomas, an Enrichment and Gifted mentor and teacher. “Even so, two teams took on the challenge, brainstorming and working both in and out of school to design solutions that tackled ship efficiency and drag reduction.”
“Seeing our students’ designs displayed at the Innovation Pavilion and evaluated by such high-ranking military leaders was incredible,” Thomas continued. “Their feedback not only validates our students’ hard work but also extends the learning process, allowing them to refine and improve their prototypes. These students volunteered for this challenge purely out of passion and curiosity, and I couldn’t be prouder. Their work proves that innovation can spark anywhere when students are given the opportunity to explore.”
