A catastrophic irrigation tunnel collapse in Goshen County over the summer left Wyomingites wondering: How can we prevent a similar disaster from happening in our community?

To help answer that question, Powell High School students and teachers hope to launch a new drone project.

“Our goal is to help the irrigation districts fly over their ditches and things to visually check their status,” said Joel Hayano, PHS computer science teacher.

Hayano is from Torrington, and noted how July’s collapse in Goshen County impacted the entire community.

With the PHS drone project, “we felt this would be a great way to help the irrigation districts identify and fix problems before we suffer the same disaster,” he said.

To make the PHS drone project possible, the school is hoping to receive a grant through the  Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest. Samsung recently announced that PHS is one of five state finalists in Wyoming in the national STEM contest, standing to win $15,000 in technology and
supplies. If Powell advances as the state winner, more grant money and opportunities are available.

State finalists were chosen “based on their creative and strategic proposals to solve complicated issues that affect their communities by using STEM learning,” Samsung said in a press release last month.

PHS teachers see a lot of potential for the drone project helping the Powell community.

“Our goal is to be able to help anytime someone, not just the water district, identify problems with water delivery or the structures the districts have,” Hayano said. “We will be able to help the community members who would need a UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle].”

The Samsung grant is crucial for the PHS drone project to take off.

“Without the funding from the grant, this would not be possible,” said Wendy Smith, PHS science teacher.

PHS started a drone club with grant funding several years ago, “and that money is gone,” she said.

“We don’t currently receive any funding for the drone club so grant money is the only way we operate,” Smith said. “This would allow us to restart the club with up to date UAVs and possibly do things in the community for a donation to keep the club running.”

The school’s current drones are out-of-date and cannot do what is needed, Hayano said.

“Our controller no longer functions properly and we will need improved cameras for the project,” he said.

If PHS wins the Samsung contest in Wyoming, the drone club plans to work with all of the local irrigation districts, Smith said.

“We would like the students to see a real life application of the things they learn in school and with the use of drones,” she said.

Robotics, computer science, science and math all will play a part in the drone project, Smith said.

“Having students work hand-in-hand with the local water districts, local and state UAV pilots, and community members will be an invaluable experience showing students that there is more to our agriculture community than just farming,” Hayano said.

Hayano and Smith hope to have five to 10 PHS students working on the project at the beginning, and add more in the future as they expand what they can do with drones.

“We are super excited to be selected as a state finalist for the Samsung STEM grant,” Smith said.

If selected to go to the national level, they will be doing a lot of work with students and the community to get the next level of competition.

“We appreciate all the help the irrigation district as well as local community members have offered and we will be working closely with them to complete our project,” Hayano said.

PHS will be notified around Christmas if they’re selected as a state winner to receive $15,000 through the 10th annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest.

Other Wyoming state finalists are Central High School in Cheyenne, Evanston High School, CY Middle School in Casper and Newcastle High School.

At the national level, 20 finalist schools will be awarded $50,000 in technology and classroom materials, and will present their project to a panel of judges in the spring. Five grand prize national winners will receive $100,000 and receive a trip to Washington, D.C. to present their projects to members of Congress.