In its fifth year, ADI’s “Make the Change Challenge” STEM accessible design contest drew more than 312 entries from students across North America.
Charlie Sobelman and Alice Dunn of Massachusetts claimed the contest’s $1,000 grand prize by designing a patch that addresses the physical and emotional needs of pediatric patients with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). “The Confidence Patch” would simultaneously secure gastronomy feeding tubes to prevent leakage while also adding a touch of personal style to boost the confidence of those who feel insecure about their condition.
The contest promotes “selfless STEM” and encourages students to hack the modern world to help people with disabilities overcome the challenges that hinder their independence and inclusion. Run by ADI, Israel’s network of specialized rehabilitative care for those touched by and living with disability, it marks Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (#JDAIM) in February.
When developing their design, Sobelman and Dunn, both sixth-grade students at the Epstein Hillel School in Marblehead, Mass., imagined a flexible, stylish and affordable product made out of SecondSkin, a medical-grade, transparent, adhesive barrier that is latex-free, waterproof, breathable and hypoallergenic. It can also last for up to five days. Like the adhesive bandages on the market for children, Sobelman and Dunn designed several colorful patterns that make the patches pop.
“We were watching a documentary about people with dysphagia and realized that some people can’t swallow at all and need a feeding tube. So, we came up with a way to help kids with feeding tubes who might be feeling bad about how they look,” they said. “We believe that these decorative patches will help them feel cool and comfortable with their disability and take the pressure off in social situations.”
Instead of developing prototypes, contest entrants were asked to prepare compelling presentations to explain how their original solutions would solve the persistent accessibility issues they chose to tackle. Sobelman and Dunn went above and beyond, preparing a PowerPoint presentation and low-tech mockup of the patches.
“We are so proud of Alice and Charlie for this truly impressive achievement, and we are grateful to ADI for allowing so many children to take part in the ‘ADI Bechinuch’ (literally, ‘ADI in Education’) disability inclusion programming and this STEM Accessible Design Contest. It is truly a model for the world,” said Amy Gold, Epstein Hillel’s head of school. “The future is so much brighter when our young leaders think about how to be more inclusive and care about people who have more challenges in society. If all kids could think this way as they grow up, it would make for a much better, more caring world in the future.”
Echoing this sentiment, Elie Klein, ADI’s North American director of advancement, highlighted the impact of the youth-led disability inclusion movement inspired by ADI Bechinuch.
“Every year, students from our partner schools across North America transform into true agents of change. In just a few months, they gain tremendous perspective and act on this new empathic worldview,” he said. “Alice and Charlie’s beautiful, impact-driven design is yet another example of what’s possible when we encourage our young Jewish leaders to tackle significant social issues, like disability access and inclusion, and support their efforts to change the status quo. This is what ADI Bechinuch is all about.”
Nearly 50 Jewish schools across North America, including many affiliated with the Jewish National Fund-USA, used “ADI Bechinuch’” programming this year, employing in-class activities and disability simulations; virtual tours; and the STEM contest to encourage the next generation of leaders to see the world through the eyes of others.
ADI’s panel of experts, including members of ADI’s professional staff, international rehabilitation specialists, innovation journalists and specialists in the field of accessible design, met with the contest’s top five finalists, as well as their parents and teachers, via Zoom to discuss the entries in greater detail. Following an uplifting discussion, the proceedings concluded with Dunn and Sobelman being crowned the contest winners and presented with the $1,000 grand prize, a gift from the Avraham and Esther Klein Young Entrepreneurs Fund.
The “Final 5” also included entries from students at Vancouver Talmud Torah in Vancouver, British Columbia; the Ramaz School in New York, N.Y.; Sinai Akiba Academy in Los Angeles; and Kellman Brown Academy in Voorhees Township, N.J.