Students representing eight schools from seven districts in Bay, Midland and Saginaw counties competing for a share of up to $77,500 in student scholarships and school STEM education grants
Following months of planning, research and development, the 20 teams participating in the 2023-24 A.H. Nickless Innovation Award competition soon will take the stage at Saginaw Valley State University to present their projects. At stake is a share of up to $77,500 in college scholarships for students and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education grants for schools.
The competition will take place from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 4 p.m. April 20 in Alan W. Ott Auditorium in SVSU’s Gilbertson Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.
Presented by the Nickless Family Charitable Foundation, the A.H. Nickless Innovation Award is an annual competition for high school students ages 13 to 18 in Bay, Midland, Saginaw and Tuscola counties. Its goal is to inspire passion for STEM subjects and challenge students to work in teams to think innovatively and develop solutions to problems impacting the world. Topics typically include – but are not limited to – issues related to alternative energy, healthcare, science, technology or life sciences.
During Phase One of the competition in September and October, each team identified a problem and submitted a two-page proposal for a project to address it. Each team that advanced to Phase Two received a $1,000 grant with which to conduct its research and develop a viable solution. Teams submitted their Phase Two project reports in late March and now will deliver 10-minute presentations on their projects before a panel of judges.
The eight high schools with teams presenting projects on April 20 are:
• Bullock Creek High School in Midland (Bullock Creek School District), four teams
• Herbert Henry Dow High School in Midland (Midland Public Schools), four teams
• Frankenmuth High School (Frankenmuth School District), one team
• Freeland High School (Freeland Community School District), one team
• John Glenn High School in Bay City (Bangor Township Schools), one team
• Midland High School (Midland Public Schools), one team
• Nouvel Catholic Central High School in Saginaw (Catholic Diocese of Saginaw), five teams
• Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy (Saginaw Public School District), three teams
At the conclusion of the April 20 event, up to $42,500 in scholarships will be awarded to students on the winning teams, and a total of $35,000 in STEM education grants will be awarded to the winning teams’ schools:
• First place will receive up to five $5,000 scholarships for student team members and a $20,000 grant for the school.
• Second place will receive up to five $2,500 scholarships for student team members and a $10,000 grant for the school.
• Third place will receive up to five $1,000 scholarships for student team members and a $5,000 grant for the school.
Fostering student innovation for more than a decade
The 2023-24 competition marks the 11th year of the A.H. Nickless Innovation Award. Since the first competition in 2013-14, more than $640,000 has been awarded to participants and their schools, including $329,000 in student scholarships and $315,000 in STEM education grants, respectively. In all, nearly 500 students developed and presented a total of more than 150 team projects in Phase Two of the competition during the competition’s first 10 years. While there was not a competition in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nickless Family Charitable Foundation distributed $16,500 in scholarships to 11 past participants who were unable to compete during their senior year due to the cancellation.
Phase One registration for the 12th annual competition, which will span the 2024-25 academic year, begins Sept. 4 on the Register page at ahninnovationaward.com.