Photo by Ashley Anklowitz
Camilla Kennedy gives her presentation of “Kids For Conservation” for the Innovation Challenge in the Wood Center Ballroom Mar. 31. Kennedy was the competition winner.

Camilla Kennedy won $1500 and a round trip ticket for Alaska Airlines on Mar. 31 for her Innovation Challenge project. Her idea, entitled “Kids for Conservation” teaches younger students and families about conservation.

The competition’s aim was to encourage students to propose an idea on any scale, be it local, national, or global, which has the possibility to significantly change the world we live in. In the opening speech President Hamilton stressed the importance of innovation, “innovation is not just coming up with new ideas, it’s about the discovering of things that ought to be done and leading others in the implementation of that idea,” he said.

The competition included eight final student presentations given as an “elevator pitch,” or a five-minute explanation. In addition to presenting to a board of judges, a popular vote helped determined the finalists.

At Monday’s ceremony, three finalists chosen by the judges were presented to the public in the Wood Center Ballroom.

Mariah Acton, a political science major received an honorable mention. Her idea of a new campus organization called World DNA, which would serve as a volunteer service organization, book club, and as a networking hub for other campus organizations to correlate on ideas, fundraisers, and events.

Tyler Dyer, senior in the engineering, proposed revising the plans for rebuilding the Honors house. The new plans would rebuild the house as an example for energy efficiency in Fairbanks. He wanted to show the community that it is possible to live sustainably in Fairbanks. Dyer placed second in the competition.

Kennedy, the winner, worked in conjunction with the SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) program, and she has plans to “continue a series of conservation workshops in Fairbanks elementary schools, at least one a year”.

Jessa Joehnk, a Nerland Hall RA, also received an honorable mention as the public favorite. She presented an idea for community-oriented writer’s workshops, creating an organized group for creative writers around the Fairbanks community.

Danny Ray Swisher, who facilitated the event, said that the future of the competition will be in the hands of the next ASUAF administration, but he would like to see the idea continue.

“I think that in years to come timing would be a big issue to address” Swisher gave for advice to that next administration, “along with perhaps more importance placed on public judging.” The idea of the Innovation Challenge here at UAF is a great way to get students thinking about how to change their community and the world around them, and a great start to what could become a very proactive movement on campus.