In the heart of Wilson, Arkansas, a quiet yet significant competition took place. Inside a remarkable makerspace, a group of high school students was not just tinkering; they were reimagining the future of gardening with E-Z-GO golf carts.
The challenge, issued by E-Z-GO itself, was as ambitious as it was open-ended: transform their iconic golf carts into versatile gardening tools. Over a whirlwind 48-hour competition, seven teams of young innovators poured their energy into brainstorming, designing, and marketing their product ideas.
Students from diverse backgrounds, united by a shared passion for problem-solving, huddled over tables creating their sales sheets and marketing materials for the pitch, and finalizing their ideas with the tool techs. The prototypes that emerged were as varied as they were ingenious. Hose-carrying systems, automated irrigation devices, and heavy-duty towing mechanisms all took shape.
Innovation Takes Shape at The Delta School
Mentors Nicole Morris and Akeia Williams witnessed firsthand the power of collaboration and problem-solving as diverse students united to brainstorm, design, and pitch their innovative ideas. “I was really impressed with the teamwork and innovation that came out of the Make48 teams. It was an awesome experience to be a mentor for the event.” Nicole Morris, Engineering Manager at Textron.
Prototypes emerged, showcasing the students' ingenuity:
Hose-carrying systems for efficient watering
Automated irrigation devices to nurture plants
Heavy-duty towing mechanisms for hauling supplies
The judges, a panel of experts from E-Z-GO, The DeBruce Foundation, and MatterHackers, faced a tough decision. Ultimately, Rivercrest High School's "Mob Mentality" team won the Overall Innovation Award and a spot at the national competition, while West Memphis Christian School's "The Knights of WMCS" earned the Best Agilities© Award.
But the real triumph? E-Z-GO's unprecedented announcement: they would be exploring both winning designs for potential production. Mentor Akeia Williams, Mechanical Engineer at Textron, enjoyed watching the innovation take place before her eyes. ”Being able to witness the whole process from brainstorming to the finished product was nothing short of amazing. Seeing those kids work together and make their idea come to life and being able to support them was great.”
This decision has a huge impact not just for the students, but for the entire community. It’s a powerful validation of the power of collaboration, mentorship, and the boundless potential of young minds. To watch the highlights of this competition visit https://youtu.be/9SDONwMXyLE?si=dYkSwU5WS6QZntfN
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