12-Year-Old Innovator Secures $11.5M for School Air-Filtration System

Eniola Shokunbi, a 12-year-old STEM prodigy from Connecticut, has secured $11.5 million in funding to install her affordable, virus-combating air filtration system in schools statewide. Collaborating with classmates at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy and University of Connecticut scientists, Shokunbi designed the system using simple materials like furnace filters, cardboard, duct tape, and a box fan, with a production cost of just $60 per unit.

The system’s efficiency, removing over 99% of airborne viruses, earned the support of the State Bond Commission under the Supplemental Air Filtration for Education Program. Shokunbi plans to expand the initiative nationally, ensuring students have a safer learning environment.

“A lot of people don’t realize the only thing standing between them and getting sick is science,” Shokunbi explained, emphasizing the importance of investing in children’s futures. With her groundbreaking invention, Shokunbi is poised to revolutionize air quality in schools and inspire the next generation of STEM leaders

Source: BET