EPICS High School Project Examples

Elizabeth Seton High School | Eastern Tech High School | Hereford High School |
Metro Tech High School | Academy of Our Lady of Peace | Sammamish High School |
Rancho Solarno High School | Agawam High School | Foxcroft School

Elizabeth Seton High School – Bladensburg, MD

Go Baby Go Electric Cars

Go Baby Go is a program developed to adapt children’s ride-on electric toy cars for young children with mobility challenges. The inability of children to move around their own environment contributes to delay in cognitive skills as well. Through this program, one group of Seton students adapted 4 of these cars. They had to rewire the cars so that the power is controllable by a large button on the steering wheel; they added seat belts and additional external structures to support the child. These cars will be given to families working with the Prince George’s County Infants and Toddlers Program.

Special Needs Kicking Machines

Children with physical disabilities are often not able to participate in inclusive physical education classes. They require adapted equipment that will allow them to perform similar skills as other students. One group of Seton students built 4 kicking machines that can be used by children in wheelchairs who have minimal muscle control or use of their hands and feet. The machines work by a lever being pushed down which releases a “leg” with a shoe which then kicks a ball. These machines will be given to Prince George’s County Public School Special Olympics programs.

Eastern Tech High School – Baltimore, MD

Plastic Pollution in Our Community

This apparatus was built to test the durability of various storm drains. “Plastic is taken by rain and wind and moved into our ocean by storm drains. We think money should be invested to stop the problem because aquatic animals are dying in the ocean from plastic consumption. If they don’t die after eating the plastic, then we could fish them, eat them, therefore consuming the plastic ourselves.”

Hereford High School – Baltimore, MD

Assistive Cane

The elderly, like my grandfather, who still want to be active around the house can sometimes lack the ability to effectively complete daily household tasks such as working outside or working in a shed or garage. As a result, I’m making a multipurpose cane that can assist them in their tasks which will give them the ability to grasp small dropped objects or parts. It must have a grabber, a magnet, it must stand on its own, not be affected by liquids, must have an easily pushed lever to control the claw, and must be durable.

Metro Tech High School – Phoenix, AZ

The Story Teller's Throne/Chess Tables

Our community partner, Marsha Phillips, is the librarian at Homeward Bound and she has decided to work with us on what we could make to encourage the families there, our stakeholders, to come outside and get some fresh air and learn to create healthy relationships with their neighbors while also having fun on the chess cement tables.

Academy of Our Lady of Peace – San Diago, CA

Sammamish High School – Bellvue WA

Teaching students about Nano Technology

EPICS students from Sammamish High School in Bellvue Washington held a NanoFair on June 8, 2015 to teach middle school students about nanotechnology. Over 250 students from Tyee Middle School participated. The event was such a success that the EPICS program has been asked to host the event during the 2015-16 academic year.  

The EPICS team r worked with the Bellevue School District Special Education Department and modify or adapt motorized ride-on cars for handicapped preschool students.

The project started with one car that was modified to be controlled with a push button on the steering wheel instead of using the gas pedal to operate the car. The car was also equipped with a restraint system to help support the preschool students while driving and to keep the students secure and safe. As part of this project, the pair wrote a winning grant proposal that provided an additional $1200 in funding to modify four additional cars for the Special Education department. The additional cars will have a variety of modifications based on the needs identified by the stakeholders including head controls and knee controls. It is expected that all five cars will be completed at the end of the year.

Rancho Solano High School

Agawam High School – MA