NEXT 2017 Special Awards

Award Descriptions

DaVinci Award

This award is offered for exceptional creativity (not skill or talent), a unique approach to the problem, and/or risk taking

Renaissance Award

This award is offered for exceptional skill in the areas of engineering, design, or performance.

Spirit of Discovery & Imagination Award (Spirit of DI)

This award is offered for exceptional Spirit, Teamwork, Volunteerism, and Sportsmanship.

Torchbearer Award (for Project Outreach)

This award honors teams and/or individuals whose solutions have had extraordinary impact in and beyond the local community.

Chandler Elementary (Allen ISD)

Wanico

750-20781

Top Secret (Elementary Room D)

This DaVinci award was given for an exceptional creative encryption system for the insta-crypted message.  The team created an alphabet made up of gymnastic body positions. A team member performed all the movements in the 1x1 square.

McSpedden Elementary (Frisco ISD)

Chenniappan

750-64301

Vanished (Elementary - Room D)

This DaVinci award was given for outstandingly creative use of materials. The team collected 800 water bottles to create their backdrops.  They used every part of the bottle in different ways.  The team painted and cut 600 bottles into a spiral, creating a colorful and eye-catching virus.  The remaining 200 bottles were used to create flowers on the backdrop.  The caps were used to create a massive 3-paneled tree. The caps were also used on the backdrop and in their costumes.

Curtsinger Elementary (Frisco ISD)

Poddar

750-67168

Project Outreach (Elementary)

This Davinci Award was given for an overall exceptionally creative presentation. This team created detailed costumes, a flip book that was used for a backdrop with elaborate and professional information, and an original music with a rap.

Plano East High School (Plano ISD)

Dhoble

750-36086

Instant Challenge

This Davinci Award was given for outstanding creativity in InstantChallenge.

Smith Elementary (Frisco ISD)

Schwartz

750-46390

Top Secret (Elementary Room X)

This Davinci Award was given for an overall exceptionally creative presentation.  The team’s “punny” story included a shark whose disguise incorporated a change of personality so that the shark helped the fish she’d normally eat. The team created a combination submarine sandwich/periscope that was out of this world, and their instacrypted message was seamlessly integrated into the plot.

Allen High School (Allen ISD)

Joyce

750-91260

Top Secret (Secondary)

This DaVinci Award was given for outstanding creativity in props that added a created twist to every aspect of the performance.  The unusual story revolved around a TV World and a Viewer world, and integrated a TV prop that rotated images for the audience to view.  The extremely creative costumes included a bus that was hoisted around one of the characters.

Spirit of DIscovery and imagination

Green Elementary (Allen ISD)

Hernandez

750-33849

In it Together (Elementary Level)

This Spirit of DI Award was given for patience, poise, and perseverance under pressure. When the structures were not the same height and the pressure board was touching a column, he didn’t give up.  He solved the problem by moving the short structure closer to the corner and was able to start pacing weights. Amazing problem solving!

Meadowdale Christian Academy

Moreau

750-20203

Vanished (Middle Level)

This Spirit of DI Award was given to a team who gave their team member a voice.  The appraisers were touched by the team’s accommodating nature for a team member who was anxious about speaking in front of strangers. The team gave her a voice by speaking on her behalf, so that all could see she is a valuable member of the team.

Allen High School (Allen ISD)

Taylor

750-71266

Project Outreach (Secondary Level)

This Renaissance Award was given for exceptional design and engineering.  The team created a boat that transformed into a library to support their service project.  The boat was painstakingly and artistically decorated with woodgrain duct tape.

Boals Elementary (Frisco ISD)

Kuminski

750-82344

Top Secret (Elementary Room D)

This Renaissance Award was given for outstanding design and engineering. This elementary team leaned how to program using Scratch by watching You-Tube videos. They created original backgrounds, sound effects, voice overs, and animated digital characters, and interacted with them via a screen during their skit. They also created a gadget (disguised as a sandwich) that lit up by wiring LEDs, copper tape, and lithium batteries.

Hosp Elementary (Frisco ISD)

Raghuvanshi

750-77257

Show and Tech (Elementary Level)

This Renaissance Award was given for outstanding design and engineering. The team designed and built a skeleton dog and move its head and tail using hydraulics.  The effect was accomplished with 2 syringes filled with water and a plastic tube, with a pvc pipe connecting the syringes and the dog skeleton.

Isbell Elementary (Frisco ISD)

Classe

750-39578

Top Secret (Elementary Room N)

This Renaissance Award was given for outstanding design. The teams amazing props included a wishing well covered in acorns, and a house with fabric bricks, yardstick shutters, and an amazing pattern on the door.  Completing the set was a giant flag with historic news articles forming the stripes and star cut outs for the characters to put their faces through.  

Imagine Academy

Konduru

750-76735

Vanished (Elementary Room D)

This Renaissance Award was given for outstanding design, engineering, and performance. The team created a stop motion video of a germ eating away all the hemoglobin and oxygen from blood, turning the blood from red to clear. Their extensive research was seamlessly integrated into their Story.  Their 3 dimensional set was covered in detailed artwork, and their acting was truly excellent.

Newman (Frisco ISD)

Rivera

750-91553

Top Secret (Elementary Room X)

This Renaissance Award was given for outstanding design. The team created a magnet and pipe system to transport messages and a missile display with moving parts and a green/red light system.  They also made a “spaceship” with planet displays and lights to control and monitor the encryption.

PROJECT OUTREACH TORCHBEARER AWARD 

Skaggs Elementary (Plano ISD)

Farheen

750-88022

Project Outreach (Elementary Level)

This Torchbearer Award was given for exceptional impact and partnership with local foodbanks.  They donated more than 900 lbs of peanut butter to local foodbanks.