JUNE 2022
Southwest Florida BUSINESS TODAY ®
Page 9
2022 EDISON AWARDS
Innovation opens young eyes and minds to a world of opportunity
Special to SWFBT Submitted by: Karen P. Moore, Publisher
As always, the future sits with the youth of today. And in 2022, the Edison Awards conference fully embraced our future with several events devoted to igniting and encouraging that spark of innovation within the young people of today. Southwest Florida students were the luckiest recipients of this wealth of knowledge, culled from some of the finest minds in the world who Photo by Luminaire Foto took part in the Edison Awards this year. The Edison Awards conference devoted several events Attendees heard from the amazing Young Edison to encouraging the spark of innovation in youth. Challenge winners, chosen from 60 applications received and administered by the Charlotte Community launches cube satellites into space; to a virtual reality Foundation, from students in 10 countries and 13 states. product intended to teach students about robotics and Moreover, it was announced at the Edison Awards aerospace programs and created specifically to give acGala by Clint Robinson of Black & Veatch, an Edison cess to students with the least resources; to developing Awards sponsor, that the first school district in Florida an energy-conserving (and energy-creating) door closer to become part of the national Center for Advanced Pro- presented by Dunbar High School student David Liu. fessional Studies network will be at Babcock Ranch, The two judges included Southwest Florida develadministered by the Charlotte Community Foundation. oper and business investor Danny Aguirre of Blue WaCAPS is one example of the global experiential learning ters Development Group. He said to the students, “Your movement impacting all levels of education. ideas are incredible and you are incredible for making Robinson serves on the CAPS team. “Fundamental- this presentation at your age in front of all these people! ly,” he notes, “it’s about kids getting real world learning, “As you develop your idea into a business, rememreal world experience. And the cool thing is that each ber to plan your work and work your plan.” community can create its own customized CAPS proThe two judges offered to have a monthly Zoom call gram to match the workforce needs and economic driv- with each presenter to help them develop their vision. ers within the community it serves.” Also taking place the last day of the conference was For the last event of the last day of the conference, a professional athlete “pitch panel,” moderated by the “Experiential Learning Day,” youth pitch competitors founder of the only Southwest Florida-based venture presented to a panel of judges in front of an awestruck capital fund, Tim Cartwright of Fifth Avenue Family Ofaudience. The 3 funding request presentation topics fice. Panelists included: Josh Childress, retired profesranged from supporting a student-based program that sional basketball player; Byron Jones, Miami Dolphins;
Derrick Morgan, former linebacker for the Tennessee Titans; and Brandon Rule of Rule Enterprises. These panelists had the full attention of their young audience. Cartwright asked, “How did innovation drive your success?’ Jones replied, “It all starts with curiosity— that’s what drove me to want to understand finance as part of my responsibility to myself, my others.” Morgan chimed in, “I knew I needed to have something going for ‘life after football.’ I didn’t want to be another pro athlete who goes broke. So I got into real estate to diversify my revenue streams.” He continued, “I grew up a renter so I saw the power of real estate ownership. Today, I give back to help others, maybe like yourselves, get educated about how money works.” South Fort Myers High School student Miguel Guerrero asked pitch panelist Jones, “What advice would you give your younger self or other young people like myself who want to make a difference in their community?” Jones replied, “Learn what you’re passionate about, take those steps today. Learning doesn’t just happen in school: check out Google topics and ask questions. But if you’re not reading books, that’s stupid. Get exposure to more things, people, ideas.” He continued, “Don’t be embarrassed by what you don’t know. Be uncomfortable so you have to ask questions to understand.” (More on GUERRERO on PAGE 18) In the true spirit of innovation and the Edison Awards, one of the panelists told the audience, “Look at us on this panel. We came from the same places you do, maybe not as good as some of the places, maybe better than others. But look at what can be achieved when you believe in the impossible!”
EDISON AWARDS
Dare to Dream
THE NEXT BIG IDEA The City of Fort Myers was proud to host the 2022 Edison Awards, a monumental gathering of some of the world’s most inspired thinkers, innovators, and inventors across many industries. This year, Edison Awards went one step further and created a program aimed to foster a passion for innovaaon among our own students in this community. Students were extended the opportunity to experience firsthand award-winning invennons. They also had the chance to meet a panel of NFL football players who invest in such advancements. Someday, our own powerful and driven children will lead the way to concei conceive and develop the next ingenious concept that will connnue to improve all of our lives – but that begins with the commitment to educaaon we show them today. I cannot wait to see this program grow next year and call upon all of us to come together to challenge, moovate and SUPPORT our students so that they can dare to dream the next big idea! Sincerely,
Mayor Kevin Anderson CITY OF FORT MYERS