Gallardo Elementary innovators advance to first place in national ExploraVision competition with underwater rescue concept
Just weeks after being recognized as regional winners for an idea focused on improving response time in drowning emergencies, two young Folsom students have advanced to the top of a national stage.
Sahana Reddy and Claire Jenkins of Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary School have been named first-place national winners in the 34th annual Toshiba/National Science Teaching Association ExploraVision competition, earning the highest honor in one of the world’s largest K–12 science contests. Their progression from regional recognition to national champions places them among the top young innovators in the United States and Canada in a program that challenges students to imagine technologies capable of solving real-world problems.
Guided throughout the process by coach Alexis Sohrakof and supported by mentor KC Jenkins, the project advanced through each level of the competition, evolving from an early classroom concept into a detailed design that ultimately earned national recognition.
The project focuses on drowning, one of the leading causes of death for children, often occurring within seconds and without noticeable signs. That data informed the development of The UnderWatch Lifeguard, a concept designed to provide continuous underwater monitoring and automated rescue response.
The system is designed to operate from the bottom of a pool, using a 360-degree dome camera, LED lighting, and artificial intelligence to analyze swimmers’ movements, posture, and time underwater in order to identify patterns associated with distress. The concept emphasizes continuous observation beneath the water’s surface, where the system can track behavior in real time and respond without delay.
When a potential drowning is detected, the system activates alarms and sends alerts to nearby adults and connected devices. These alerts are designed to notify pool owners, caregivers, and smart home systems simultaneously, creating an immediate awareness response that does not rely on a single point of observation.
At the same time, the system initiates an automated rescue sequence. Traveling along the pool floor on rubber track wheels designed for traction, the unit positions itself directly beneath the swimmer before stabilizing with suction arms that help anchor the device in place during the lift process.
A hydraulic telescoping lift then raises a stainless steel grated platform, bringing the individual above the water’s surface so they can breathe. The platform is designed with corrosion-resistant materials and structural stability to safely support the swimmer during the rescue process.
Once elevated, the system continues moving the swimmer toward the pool’s edge, where assistance can be provided or the individual can exit the water. The full rescue process, from detection to relocation, is designed to take less than 20 seconds.
“The creativity and dedication shown by all participants reflect the kind of forward-thinking innovation needed to build a more sustainable and resilient future,” said Tom Kumagai, Chairman and CEO of Toshiba America, Inc. “These national winners represent the very best of that spirit, and we congratulate them on this outstanding achievement.”
The ExploraVision competition, now in its 34th year, is designed to foster problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration by encouraging students to envision future technologies. Entries are evaluated by panels of scientists, engineers, and researchers from institutions including NASA, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation, with only a limited number of teams advancing to national honors.
“Each year, these extraordinary students remind us just how perceptive and innovative young people can be,” said NSTA President Beverly DeVore-Wedding, Ph.D. “Their national-winning projects reflect a strong awareness of the challenges facing our world, paired with the ingenuity and determination to address them.”
Among this year’s national winners, projects addressed a wide range of global challenges, including healthcare advancements, agricultural sustainability, infrastructure monitoring, and emerging technologies designed to improve safety and quality of life. The UnderWatch Lifeguard was recognized among those national-winning solutions as part of the competition’s top innovations.
The Folsom team earned first place in the K–3 division and will be invited to Washington, D.C., where they will present their project and be formally recognized alongside other national winners. The award also includes academic prizes supporting continued education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The UnderWatch Lifeguard remains a conceptual design, but it reflects a system focused on automated detection and rapid response to drowning incidents, developed through a process that began in the classroom and advanced through regional judging to national recognition.
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