The Ibrahim Janajreh Young Innovator Program
The Ibrahim Janajreh Young Innovator Program was created in 2005 to recognize existing, successful Upstate programs that
engage, encourage and acknowledge young people in the areas of science, technology, math and innovation. The program was
established to recogonize successful programs and their student participants, raise awareness about the need for such
programs, increase support from the Upstate business community, and influence young innovators to remain in the Upstate
as they continue their education and launch their careers.
The award was named in honor of the memory and ideals of Dr. Ibrahim Janajreh. Dr. Janajreh was an InnoVision Award
Recipient in 2000 as the project leader for the Michelin X One tire that turns 18-wheel trucks into 10-wheelers by replacing two dual tires with one wide single.
A brilliant scientist and a unique individual, Dr. Janajreh was an important part of Michelin for more than 15 years
and served on the InnoVision Advisory Board for three years.
The Young Innovators Program is consistent with the mission of the Innovision Technology Awards: building the future of the Upstate through technology and innovation.
Purpose of the Young Innovator Program
To highlight Upstate programs that engage, encourage, acknowledge young people in the areas of science, technology, math and innovation.
By doing so, we hope to:
- Provide additional recognition of the organizations sponsoring the programs
- Provide additional recognition of and motivation for the young innovators
- Influence the young innovators to remain in the Upstate as they begin and advance their careers
- Raise awareness of the need for such programs
- Encourage more support of such programs by the Upstate business community
Benefits and Value for Young Innovator Programs and Young Innovators
We will acknowledge the selected programs and young innovators in the following venues and manner:
September Finalists Reception at Poinsett Club
- Programs will be recognized with a one-minute overview of the program
- Program student winners will be introduced at the reception
Awards Dinner
- Programs and winners will be recognized on stage
- Winners and program sponsor rep will be guests of InnoVision
- Description of programs with contact information may be included as insert in program or “goody” bag and on website
Program Award Presentations
- Advisory Board member will present award at program event next year, if desired
Monetary Award
- Student winners being honored will be presented a US Savings Bond.
Technology Forum Invitations
- All program sponsors, coordinators and student winners will be invited to technology forum programs.
2008 Ibrahim Janajreh Young Innovator Award Recipients:
MATHCOUNTS is a national math competition for 6th, 7th, and 8th, graders, created and sponsored by the National
Society of Professional Engineers and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Major national sponsors with
local operations include Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Fluor Foundation to name a few. The program, which was created in
1991, was designed to encourage math and science achievement in middle schoolers, through competition between
schools and individuals. Research has found that if students contemplate math and science careers in middle school,
they will likely pursue advanced classes and careers. Locally, Mathcounts is hosted by the Piedmont Chapter of the South
Carolina Society of Professional Engineers, and has been conducted at Clemson’s Maddren Center for many years. The local
winning teams advance to a State Competition held in March, and the top 4 students at that competition form a state team
that advances to a national competition. This year the State Competition will be held at the Citadel, and the national competition
will be held in Dallas, TX at Lockheed Martin’s Corporate Headquarters. Click here for more information about MATHCOUNTS
Students that placed in the Top 25:
- Akshay Chandrasekhar from Northwood Middle School coached by Shannon Hever
- Asad Ansari from Riverside Middle School coached by April Haynes
- Kerry Yan from Riverside Middle School coached by April Haynes
- Arjun Grover from R.C. Edwards Middle School coached by Traci Hedetniemi
- Austin Herbst from R.C. Edwards Middle School coached by Traci Hedetniemi
2007 Ibrahim Janajreh Young Innovator Award Recipients:
EnTech is a non-profit 4-H Engineering and Technology Program primarily serving students
in the Upstate, but also serving the general community. EnTech's mission is to educate,
excite, and inspire students to appreciate the value of engineering, science, math & technology.
It spotlights the ability of those disciplines to help solve the problems of the world and
the community, as well as to entice students to take up those professions.
EnTech's program provides a variety of after-school, hands-on science, technology, and
engineering activities. It promotes practical, leadership, and motivational activities
for high school students. Areas of current focus include: alternative fuel and energy,
3D animation, Automation, Engineering, Biosphere for lunar environment and robotics. Their
program is open to all high school students, and the students in turn take their skills
and enthusiasm out to the community and younger students. Daryl Ann Frey leads the efforts
of Entech. Click here for more information about EnTech
EnTech FIRST Vex Challenge (FVC) team
The EnTech FIRST Vex Challenge (FVC) Team competed in the South Carolina State VEX Challenge.
The challenge required each team to build and program an 18 x 18 inch robot using only VEX
Kit materials in a three month period. Teams then competed in 3 team alliances, playing a
game which required performing specific tasks which are changed each year. This team was
one of the three teams on the “alliance” team that won 1st place at the South
Carolina State Vex Challenge. This team also won 1st place for its Engineering Notebook. Team
members attended Charter High School and J.L. Mann.
Team Members
- Corey Andrews
- Andrew Dosher
- Carl Gibson
- George Johnston
- Amanda Lang
- Stefan Ludlow
SC State Engineering & Technology team
The SC State Engineering & Technology contest required students to build a small
hovercraft within one-week period using only materials in the kit provided. The
craft had to be able to negotiate an obstacle course under tether, and drive in a
straight line on land for 20 feet and over water for 15 feet without tether. Crafts
were judged on speed, stability, maneuverability, and design. The following four
students won the SC State Engineering & Technology Contest. Team members attended
OLR Middle School, Charter High School and J.L. Mann High School.
Team Members
- Matt Hapstack
- Christopher Hapstack
- Stefan Ludlow
- Tyler Stonell
2006 Ibrahim Janajreh Young Innovator Award Recipients:
Odyssey of the Mind - Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative
problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Students apply their creativity to solve
problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They
then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and world level. Thousands of teams from throughout the
U.S. and from about 25 other countries participate in the program. Click here for more information about
Odyssey of the Mind
The following team of 4th graders from Clemson Elementary School chose the creative challenge, “The Great Parade,” which required
them to build a float that changed its appearance three times as it traveled a given parade route. The students
designed modifications to an old pedal car, to be steered by the driver's feet via a make-shift joy-stick, while their
hands turned the pedals, thus creating their momentum. The team's overall "disco" theme featured creative "morphing" of
their float, between a big black limousine, an ocean wave, and a miniature dance platform complete with disco lights and
dancing. The innovative design of their vehicle garnered the only Ranatra Fusca creativity Award given at the 2005 state
competition, and their performance in the Great Parade and Spontaneous-Problem solving won first prize in their division.
- Hannah Myers
- Christina Adams
- Forrest Wang
- Henry Weaver
- Julie Sarasua
- Maggie Austin
- Daniel Betz
The 4th grade students from the Crestview Elementary School Odyssey of the Mind Team began their odyssey by selecting the problem “The Jungle Bloke.”
The team was to create and present a skit about a “Bloke,” a person who has the ability to talk with and understand animals
from a jungle. The animal characters told the Bloke about a problem….the food chain in Khana, India is unbalanced. The
Indian White tiger won't stop eating vultures, and now they are starting to disappear. The bloke was portrayed by a
student who needed some extra credit on a Science project. He discusses the problems of an unbalance food chain with the
tiger, and they both agree that there are other tasty morsels to be had. In the end, the tiger finds those other
delectable dishes running around in the jungle. The bloke returns to class and uses the information he learned about the
food chain and the animals in Khana to get extra credit on his Science project. In their solution, the students were
responsible for researching the jungle in Khana, India, white tigers and other animals presented in their skit, along with
designing and building the props, art work, makeup and script. These students presented their solution at the Odyssey of
the Mind State tournament last March, and were very successful. Their placement earned them an invitation to the World
Finals held at the University of Iowa, last May, where they made a great impression on their judges.
- Austin Donahoo
- Carly Majors
- Megan Williams
2005 Ibrahim Janajreh Young Innovator Award Recipients:
Greenville County Science Fair - A competition among students throughout Greenville County. Organized by Roper Mountain Science Center and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Greenville, this event involves hundreds of students each year with remarkably creative projects.
- Carly Caldwell won Grand Prize in the Elementary School Division for her project, “Which Breakfast Drinks have the lowest Acid level?”
- Erika Mino was the First Place Oral winner in the Elementary School Division for her project, “Carnivore or Herbivore: Do Students Like Meat or Vegetables for Lunch?” and a semi-finalist in the national Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge
- Ryan Hurst won Grand Place in the Middle School Division for his project on “What Brand of Paintball Shoots the Farthest?”
- Christopher Siden won Grand Prize in the High School Un-Mentored Division for his project on the “Efficiency of Super Computing Using Java Remote Method Invocation.”
Michelin Invention Convention - This event was established in 1999 to inspire and encourage young students to develop creative inventions and showcase their work.
- Elizabeth Epting developed a Handicapped Student Assistance Board
- Sarah Strickland invented an environmentally-friendly refrigerator with a see-through door
- Curtis Todd developed a video game on T183-RC
- Caitlin Valko invented an alarmed garbage can
