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Coral Springs Middle School Inventors heading to D.C. Competition

Arianna Huriash, Jennifer Roberts, and Isabel Hilmers. Not pictured is Kayla Jorge. (Courtesy)

Having your favorite cocktails at a bar could get a whole lot safer, thanks to the ingenuity and creativity of three 14-year-old eighth-graders at Coral Springs Middle School.

The students have invented a straw that when dipped into any beverage will turn colors if it detects any substances added to the drink before it’s imbibed by an unsuspecting patron. So creative is their idea it’s already garnered them state and regional honors. And next month, two of the girls will be traveling to the suburbs of Washington D.C. to compete for the national honor.

The winning trio is Arianna Huriash of Tamarac, Isabel Hilmers of Parkland, and Kayla Jorge of Boca Raton.

Coral Springs Middle School science, engineering, and robotics teacher Jennifer Roberts is their mentor and advisor for the project. She credits Arianna with coming up with the concept. “She is the mastermind behind the idea,” Roberts said. “She has the golden touch.”

Roberts has been teaching at the school since 2001 and has been working with this science program for 23 years. “I’m there to help them improve,” Roberts said. “I help guide them to make it better.”

To qualify for these competitions, all projects must be submitted through an online program called Ecybermission, a STEM competition for sixth—to ninth-graders sponsored by the U.S. Army. Entrants must fill out an online mission folder, answering a series of questions about their project. All projects must adhere to scientific methods and protocol.

Roberts said the team flies out on June 23, with the winners to be announced on June 27. “This is a national judging and educational event,” she said, adding they get to work side by side with Army STEM experts. “And they even get to eat the meals that the Army eats.”

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In order to research their project, aptly named, the Safe Sip System, the girls needed to find products that would match the pH levels [the amount of acidity] in drugs commonly used to spike a victim’s drink, for example, Rohypnol, known on the street as “roofies.” Because they could not obtain or use the actual illicit substances, they found candies with matching acidity levels.

The plan ultimately envisions bars giving out these straws for patrons to use with their drinks. Plus, the project has an AI component that would be connected to a bar’s security system. Should one of the straws detect the pH of a substance that has been added to a drink, “the AI system will focus on where a straw has been activated,” said Isabel. At that point, a bartender would be alerted.”

As to how she came up with this unique idea, Arianna said, “I don’t know, I just kind of did. We were brainstorming ideas about dealing with problems facing society.”

Arianna added that the Safe Sip System would also lessen a bar’s liability risk.

This year marks the first time Arianna has made the national competition. She’s made the regionals in the past. “Arianna has had a dream to attend this since sixth grade,” said Roberts.

Arianna’s future plans include becoming a teacher or an educational administrator.

Isabel said she’d someday like to work in the medical field.

Kayla will not be able to travel with her teammates to the nationals. She’s been accepted to the FAU High School program, and classes begin in June.

Last year, her team went to nationals. Kayla explained that their invention was an AI system to be installed at schools, which would alert school officials if it detected movements indicative of a fight. Kayla said her experience at the nationals helped her team this year because she knew how to answer the questions in the mission folder.

As to her own career path for the future, “at the moment, cardiology,” she said.

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Martin Lenkowsky

Martin Lenkowsky moved to Coral Springs from NYC in 1982. He has a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College. He has been both writer and editor for a number of South Florida publications since 1983. He considers features writing his specialty.