The top 100 “most innovative” high school students in the state of Illinois will join together for a two-day event in spring 2015 as part of a new “Celebrating High School Innovators” program to be launched by the University.

In an effort to focus less on grade point average and ACT scores, Paul Ritter, science teacher at Pontiac High School, and Raymond Price, iFoundry co-director, teamed together to create a new program that would allow students to: collaborate with professionals; engage with University students; professors and administrators; and work with other students. 

High school students are encouraged to submit an application to the program before Dec. 1 with a personal statement and a description of an innovative idea they want to implement in their community. 

“Price and I met several years ago, and we were trying to think to find and work with kids who are doing amazing things and we decided to start this program to look for the top 100 teenagers who are inspiring and imaginative,” Ritter said.  

The program will honor high school students across Illinois who have been able to meet current and emerging social needs through innovation in one of five areas: arts, media and literature; business entrepreneurship; food, health and nutrition; social entrepreneurship; and science, technology, engineering and math.

Ritter said he chose the categories that are the most relatable to subjects students are taking in high school. 

Price said that he believes the program is unique, as no other programs attempt to identify a broad section of high school innovators.  

“There are people looking for leadership; there are people looking for scholarship,” he said. 

Price he believes the program will better highlight student capabilities since the program will base its selection on student accomplishments, rather than test scores.

Price said there are four goals the program wants to achieve: to recognize and celebrate high school innovators, to influence the education system, to allow for students to mingle with professionals from across the state and to focus on bringing about more discussion on innovation. 

Price said the goals will be accomplished over a five-year period.

“Someone can develop an iPhone app (or) allow people to understand their footprint,” Ritter said. “I really don’t know what we are going to get, but I am excited for the possibility because kids have the ability to really surprise people with all they can do.” 

Ruge can be reached at [email protected].