On May 30, 2025 five LEAP Academy University Charter School students participated in a national competition designed to solve real-world problems and came away with a cash prize.

Project Invent, a national organization that empowers students to solve real-world problems through empathy, design thinking, and technology, hosted its annual northeast regional competition on May 30 at the World Trade Center in New York City. The competition features high school teams from across the nation as they showcase inventions aimed at “social good” topics such as wellness, safety and accessibility.

This year, the LEAP Project Invent team partnered with Suzanne Masso, a local community member living with Parkinson’s disease, to better understand the challenges faced by individuals with neurodegenerative diseases. The students designed an innovative belt aimed at addressing often-overlooked bowel issues experienced by Parkinson’s patients.

The LEAP team, featuring high school students Alondra Portero-Martinez, Justin Gonzalez, Julissa Citron, Ernesto Portero-Martinez and Zandre Dean, won the “Explorer Award,” which recognizes teams that show curiosity, empathy and a strong commitment to learning through exploration and collaboration.

Over 15 teams competed for funding awards and pitched their inventions to industry experts. The LEAP team was one of four award winners, receiving a total of $500 for future funding of their initiative.