Five NFA P-TECH Seniors Named National Winners in U.S. Department of Education AI Challenge
In a historic achievement for the district, five seniors from the Newburgh Free Academy P-TECH program have been named one of only 10 winning teams nationwide in the CTE Momentum AI Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.
Emily Pham, Lesley Trinidad, Yahir Rosas, Aaron Villano, Eric Amaya’s winning entry, YourT.E.A.M. (Therapeutic Enhanced AI Monitor), was selected from a highly competitive pool of submissions from across the United States. You can watch their submission video here. The challenge tasked students with identifying a real-world problem and designing an integrated AI solution to solve it.
“At P-TECH our responsibility is not just to prepare students for today’s jobs, but to equip them with the skills, mindset, and confidence to lead in careers that don’t even exist yet,” said P-TECH House Principal Anthony Williams. Christine Baumann, who worked closely with the team of students and acted as the Lead Teacher for the competition exuded pride for her students, noting that "this win really speaks to the intentional design of our P-TECH program. Our students are poised to engage with professionals in the field and apply what they have learned from their college courses to real-world situations. I couldn’t be more proud of them." Newburgh Free Academy P-TECH is a partnership between the Newburgh Enlarged City School District, IBM, and SUNY Orange, allowing students to earn both a high school diploma and an Associate of Applied Science degree. All five of the winning seniors will earn both degrees in only four years.
The students' project aims to revolutionize the field of rehabilitative physical therapy. Recognizing that traditional PT often relies on subjective self-reporting by patients, which can lead to slow recovery or reinjury, the team developed an AI-driven system that uses wearable technology and smart devices to collect objective, 24/7 data.
The project was born out of a direct collaboration with local industry. The students met with Howard Wilen, Rehab Director for the Bon Secours Charity Health System, who surveyed his team of healthcare professionals. By listening to the daily struggles of physical therapists, the students were able to design a tool that potentially addresses gaps in patient care.
Key features of the YourT.E.A.M. system include:
- Smart Devices: AI Enhanced Tools, such as walkers and boots, that measure exact walking distances and weight-bearing pressure, transmitting data directly to doctors.
- Real-Time Coaching: An AI assistant that provides immediate feedback to patients on their form while exercising at home.
- Therapist Alerts: A system that automatically flags critical deviations in a patient's progress, allowing for immediate medical intervention.
As one of the 10 national winners, the NFA P-TECH team has earned $5,000 to further their educational pursuits. The district congratulates these five seniors on their commitment to using technology for the greater good.
Story and photo provided by Mrs. Christine Baumann.
ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!
