Pickens County Career & Technology Center, Mechatronics Team Team Instructor: Hank Hutto Student Team Members: Russell Brinson, Jared Venesky
The Pickens County Career and Technology Center's Mechatronics Program began with the merge of electrical and mechanical engineering disciplines and has evolved to include software engineering, control engineering and systems design engineering.
Jared Venesky and Russell Brinson are two local students who represented the State of South Carolina at the SkillsUSA National Competition June 20-25 in Kansas City, Missouri following their 1st place finish in mechatronics at the South Carolina SkillsUSA Competition this past April in Greenville, SC as well as a fifth place finish in the nation competing against juniors and seniors across the United States while they were still juniors in high school.
The mechatronics program has provided a platform to help prepare these mechanically and technically capable young innovators for success in their bright futures. In addition to the extra boost of confidence and knowledge that the students gain, this program offers students a chance to earn 13 hours of credit towards their college degree.
Learn more about The Pickens County Career and Technology Center's Mechatronics Program.
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 recognize 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.
2010 Ibrahim Janajreh Young Innovator Award Recipients:
EnTech 281 Robotics Team
Project Mentors: Michael Andrews Suzy Kim AJ McPherson
And student team members: David Gaddy Sam Bowen Benton Vigil Chris Kim Cody Jordan
Wes Boehm Robert Therrell Beth Davis Alen Simmons Ryan Stonell
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
Michael Andrews 
