By Gary Lloyd
TRUSSVILLE — A trio of Hewitt-Trussville High School students have accomplished a first in school history.
Isaac Searcy, Amber Gibson and Billy Dalton Smith placed third in the engineering, electrical and mechanical division at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in California earlier this month.
There were 70 countries and 1,783 projects represented at the fair. In Hewitt-Trussville’s division, there were more than 350 projects entered.
Billy Dalton Smith, Amber Gibson and Isaac Searcy
submitted photo
The trio’s project was a renovated cane to aid indoor travel for the visually impaired. The cane is equipped with a metal detector and a bar code reader that will help a blind individual navigate through a building by following a metallic tape path and by having barcodes read to the individual through his or her cell phone.
The group won the engineering design category for the same project at the state Technology Student Association competition in Tuscaloosa in April.
Hewitt-Trussville High School Engineering Academy instructor Chris Bond said the group represented the academy, instructor Jason Dooley and himself, the high school, and Trussville City Schools with honor.
“This is what can happen when we inspire kids to do reach for the stars,” Bond said.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
