Brothers’ invention could net MMI a grant

Joshua and Dakota Ray-Price, sons of the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Rachel Ray, are semifinalists in the Paradigm Challenge, one of the largest youth innovation competitions in the world.

The competition challenged students aged 7 to 18 to use STEM skills plus kindness, creativity, and collaboration to generate new ideas to prevent injuries and fatalities from home fires.

Dakota, who has developmental disabilities, and Joshua designed a fire alert system for individuals with developmental disabilities. The two brothers, ages 16 and 18, competed against more than 50,000 students — less than 5 percent of participants were selected as semifinalists.

“I used to worry so much about my brother if there was ever a fire. Would he know how to get out?” Joshua said. “Would he be scared and immobilized by the noise and smells.

“I wanted to create something that would help him and others. Once I spoke with other families, I realized that I was not alone in my concerns. There really is a great need out there, and I am hoping that what we created will help.”

The top team in each age category will win up to $20,000 and a four-day, three-night trip to Los Angeles to attend The Paradigm Challenge Prize Ceremony. Each second place team will win up to $10,000 and each third place team will win up to $5,000.

In addition to the cash prizes for the student teams, the Paradigm Challenge is awarding cash grants between $250 and $5,000 to the inspiring teachers or organizations associated with the top 100 teams. The Munroe-Meyer Institute, as a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, was the organization that helped inspire and support the brothers’ efforts.

In addition to speaking with other families, the Ray-Price brothers interviewed one of the first responders to the Pentagon during 9/11 to help devise a system that would benefit firefighters responding to fires. If selected, the Ray-Prices would like to use the grant to develop training at the Munroe-Meyer Institute for fire awareness and safety for individuals with disabilities and first responders.

The university community can support the Ray-Price brothers’ entry during the public voting period, which ends Aug. 30. For more information on the challenge to vote for Joshua and Dakota’s project, click here.