Above: 2022 AIC prize winners who attended the AIC Award Ceremony Photoshoot.
The UAF College of Business and Security Management awarded over $40,000 in cash prizes and awards after the 2022 Arctic Innovation Competition’s final presentations on Saturday, April 16. The competition, now in its 13th year, invites innovators of any age to propose new, feasible and potentially profitable ideas for solving real-life problems and challenges. Joining in the support of innovation is Usibelli Coal Mine, the presenting sponsor and valued partner.
Video Description: Brooks Pinney accepting his award for second place and honorable mentions
“AIC is such a confidence-building platform where kids can gain recognition for their ideas. This also helps kids have hope in times of global warming, natural disasters, biodiversity mass extinctions and whatever else are the stressors of their generation.” - Amy McLoed, parent of AIC 2022 Cub Division competitor, Brooks Pinney
Alaska 529 Establishes Classroom of the Future Award
Innovation in the classroom compels teachers and students to explore, research and use all their available tools to uncover something new, and to use a higher level of thinking to solve problems. The thinking process needed for problem solving helps students develop their creativity and analytical thinking skills. This is why Alaska 529 launched the first AIC “Classroom of the Future” award, which was awarded to a randomly selected K-12 teacher who was identified by an AIC competitor as their teacher, if the idea was submitted as part of a school or class project.
Long-time North Pole High School teacher Mary McFetridge of the English Language Arts Department was nominated by one of her students and, as it turns out, the fourth place JR Division winner, Alicia Bostic. According to McFetridge, the $2,000 prize is set aside to purchase classroom books, enable students to attend a scholastic writing competition and support the North Pole High School Engineering Club. Lastly, her classroom will adopt a hamster and name it Milly!
Alaska 529 also awarded JR and Cub Division individuals or teams who placed first through third with $2,000 educational savings plan scholarships to support their future education. Hopefully you will see them on the UAF Troth Yeddha’ campus one day!
Photo Description: Mary McFetridge and Alicia Bostic with UAF CBSM dean, UAF chancellor and donors
Giving Back to Their Education
AIC is a fantastic launching pad to inspire youth to explore innovation. The Cub Division first place winners, the Gadget Girls, are shining examples of lessons learned through AIC. Lauren Burgess, Shannan Burgess, Charlie Clark, Leah Lewellyn and Alex Lorenzana teamed up and decided that no matter what amount they won, they would donate it. They submitted the CLUCK Box idea, which makes shipping chicks safer in an improved box with insulating foil and cup-holders to hold chick feed. When the Gadget Girls won $500, they made good on their pledge and donated their cash prize to their school, the IDEA Homeschool in Fairbanks, Alaska. It is humbling to see these girls giving back and investing in their own education in more ways than one.
Photo Description: Gadget Girls with UAF CBSM dean, UAF chancellor and donors
Grand Champions
Revolutionizing the way to learn a new language, each book introduces new words gradually as you read. New translations appear as old ones become more familiar. You’ll never be swimming in dozens of unknown translations at once. The Main Division first place submission, Prismatext: Read a book. Learn a Language. is doing just that. Partners Zak Erving and Phil Belleau took home the first place award of $10,000 and traveled from Anchorage for the post-event photoshoot.
Photo Description: Zak Erving with UAF CBSM dean, UAF chancellor and donor.
Video Description: Zak Erving answering questions and giving advice to future competitors
“There is an incredible array of ideas and fresh concepts here in Alaska, and sometimes it’s easy to think that being up here all by ourselves in Alaska, we can't compete with the lower 48, but there’s definitely a high bar and standard of execution here. Being from Alaska, I wanted to be part of a community that fosters creativity and innovation in my home state. I think it’s important to highlight homegrown achievements, and AIC is a wonderful resource that highlights new ideas in the Last Frontier.” -Zak Erving
The opportunities provided to innovators would not be possible without the unwavering support of donors, many of which are Alaskan businesses. Supporters like our presenting sponsor, Usibelli Coal Mine, invest in the future of innovation through the Arctic Innovation Competition. To find our complete list of sponsors, details on winning ideas and competitors or more information about the competition, visit the AIC website.