HIGHLANDS – Henry Hudson Regional School students won first place in a statewide competition for inventing “Puppyable,” a product designed for dogs to safely enjoy playtime with stuffed toys.
Henry Hudson sophomores and STEAM Academy members Samantha Akers, Rebecca Bertekap and Zoe Brodbeck won first place in this year’s STEAM Tank Challenge, sponsored by the New Jersey School Board’s Association (NJSBA) and the U.S. Army.
Teams were asked to identify real-world problems in need of resolution, to modify and enhance existing products or to invent something that did not yet exist.
The trio decided to address the health and environmental impacts of stuffed dog toys.
“Me and my team members, we all have dogs. It’s like every single day we come home to dog toys torn to shreds,” said Samantha.
The team members found “major complications” that can happen to dogs who consume the stuffing in their toys, she said. That includes the stuffing building up in dogs’ gastrointestinal tracts. “That removal surgery could cost up to $4,000,” she said.
Puppyables are made of hemp and dehydrated pineapple, making them a safe alternative for four-legged friends if ingested. The students have a patent pending on the product and plan to sell Puppyables for about $7 apiece. One judge at the competition liked it so much, she bought the product on the spot.
Samantha said the competition was nerve-wracking, but a worthwhile and fun experience. It started out with 550 teams and was narrowed down to 90. The continuing teams presented their products to panelists of all different backgrounds, in a style similar to the show “Shark Tank,” in October at the NJSBA workshop.
Principal Lenore Kingsmore described the atmosphere at the competition as “very tense.” The students had a limited amount of time to speak. They gave an overview of their product and touched on marketing points, professionals they consulted in the industry, cost analysis, showed a sample of the product and more.
“They really have to sell to a panel and there were at least eight judges from different walks of life – heads of companies, the U.S. Army, science teachers,” she said.
Kingsmore said she is “ecstatic” about the results. “For the size of our school, it’s extraordinary.” There are a little over 200 students currently enrolled at the high school.
The result follows years of a concentration on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) in the school district. The high school’s STEAM Academy rolled out three years ago.
This was the school’s third year entering the competition and its second year in the finals, said Kingsmore. “We’ve had four teams make it to the finals and now placing first, so in terms of statistical analysis, this is unheard of. So, it’s really tremendous success.”
