Coeur d’Alene School District seniors stepped out of their comfort zones Wednesday as they took their senior project to a panel of entrepreneurs and industry experts at the Innovation Den. 

Rather than just present their pitches on their research topics, the talks became a jumping off point for both groups to connect and respond to students' wide-ranging interests.

Students took the audience through their research, problem-solving and what they hope to tackle after graduation. 

For Lake City High School student Joe Martin, his decision to pursue an invention that could shoot sticky notes across the room to a friend started out as an exercise in imagination, but he soon realized that time was his most valuable resource. 

He drew inspiration from the firing mechanism of a crossbow and went back to the drawing board several times to troubleshoot the design after experiencing a mishap during the creation of his invention. 

Martin worked with Alan Woodmansee at North Idaho College to brainstorm parts of the process and although he ultimately wasn’t able to demonstrate a working 3D-printed prototype, he learned about engineering along the way. 

Drawing from his years of experience, Alan Rich offered a few words of wisdom from his Silicon Valley days. 

“The critical thinking was in there, don’t get discouraged if you weren’t able to complete it. The most important steps of a project are figuring out what doesn’t work,” Rich said. “I’ve worked on thousands of projects in Silicon Valley and every single one had a thousand revisions.” 

Mike Nelson, deputy superintendent of instruction for the Coeur d'Alene School District, said engaging the next generation of adults is critical for giving students the skills they need to succeed. 

“Being here today means the world to our kids. This is more than a senior project presentation, it’s an opportunity to bridge generations,” Nelson said. “You will graduate in two weeks, you will have a degree from Coeur d'Alene schools and you will have a path forward.” 

Nick Smoot of build_cities spoke about his time before graduating high school and after and said he hopes they will cherish their moments with their families and mentors now and use their lessons to launch them into the next chapters of their lives. 

"Don’t be afraid to speak powerful truths to other people,” Smoot said. 

Logan Anderson of Lake City High School said he was fascinated by looking into research on the loneliness epidemic, tracing its rise from around 2010 to the present day. 

The rise of smartphones, social media and a decrease in prioritizing problem-solving skills were among the key findings he presented for why people can feel more isolated.  

“I want to learn neuroscience because I think the brain is fascinating,” Anderson said.

    Mike Nelson, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction at Coeur d'Alene School District, introduced students from Lake City High School and Coeur d'Alene High School as they presented their senior projects Wednesday to a panel of entrepreneurs and industry experts.
  

    Lake City High School student Logan Anderson presented an abbreviated version of his senior project to industry experts Nick Smoot, Ron Kraft and Alan Rich at the Innovation Den.
  

Nick Smoot of build_cities, Alan Rich, a former Silicon Valley executive, Ron Kraft, a former university president and Mike Nelson of the Coeur d'Alene School District facilitated an event where high school seniors presented their senior projects and received feedback from industry professionals.

    Coeur d'Alene High School senior Mari Nelson presents her senior project on pediatric nursing for Nick Smoot, Ron Kraft and Alan Rich at the Innovation Den.