Student Innovators Earn Funding for Big Ideas
Students in Grades 4–11 pitched projects designed to address real-world challenges and earned funding to move them forward.
From improving daily life on campus to tackling challenges beyond it, students brought bold thinking and entrepreneurial spirit to the inaugural Torrey Explorers Fund: Sprouting Projects event on May 20. Students in Grades 4–11 presented projects developed through their Design and Innovation classes, competing for funding to advance their work. Expanding on the success of the annual Torrey Explorers Fund pitch event, the new program welcomed participants from all three divisions. By the end of the event, nearly $8,000 had been awarded to support the next stage of their projects.
Grade 4
Upper School
From identifying challenges to developing and presenting solutions, these students demonstrated the curiosity, confidence, and initiative that define the Design and Innovation experience at LJCDS. With funding now in place, their projects are poised to move from concept to implementation, and the school community looks forward to following their progress.
Grade 4
- Declyn Hirschy, Valentina Novak Rayatparvar, Celeste Shah, and Joshua Valji: Sunburst – Portable solar-driven charging systems.
- Skyla Jella and Maddox Tootell: Hydrate: Turning wind into water – A clean energy system for filtering and collecting water from the air moisture.
- Tallulah Rivest, Willibel Sawh, and Conrad Thompson: MewFood – A portable cooking system for people on the go in remote areas.
- Arabella Adler: Hydro – A filtration and cooling water bottle.
- Etta Miller: The Etta – A shoe organizer for athletes on the go.
Middle School
- Alex Han ’32: OpenCello – An open-source, 3D printable cello designed to increase access to string instruments.
- James Johnson ’30 and Wyatt Kozloff ’30: StudyLink – An app designed for middle and high schoolers to help them prioritize tasks and streamline decision-making when starting on schoolwork.
- Noam Gilmer ’30 and Suzianne Newman ’30: Scooter Customization & Repair – A tutorial and service for repairing and customizing electric scooters.
- Claudio Presti ’30: Icon Yoyo – A new generation of custom-designed and manufactured yoyos.
Upper School
- Sophia Zhou ’28 and Isla Vijayendran ’28: Crafts for a Cause – Expansion of their successful non-profit that sends activity boxes to patients at local hospitals.
- Nick Mogul ’27: Scripty – An app designed to scan and transcribe the text of historical documents, aiding with archival research and building a library of primary historical texts.
- Dora Zhong ’28 and Mia Sherman ’29: ConectaTutor – A digital platform for facilitating tutoring services between LJCDS and CETYS (Tijuana) students.
- Harrison Lewis ’28 and Ryan Hughes ’28: Let’s Talk Us – A podcast
- Soroush Bayat ’27: PickleDock – A ball-storage device designed for wheelchair-using tennis and pickleball athletes, providing easy access to balls during play.
From identifying challenges to developing and presenting solutions, these students demonstrated the curiosity, confidence, and initiative that define the Design and Innovation experience at LJCDS. With funding now in place, their projects are poised to move from concept to implementation, and the school community looks forward to following their progress.
