Two years ago, fifth-grader Eniola Shokunbi led a class project with the help of some University of Connecticut scientists. She built a filter to clean classroom air of allergens and viruses. Her research group used four furnace filters, cardboard, duct tape, and a box fan. Eniola is now 12. She has just won a Silent Spring Institute young environmentalist award. She earned it after lobbying for and gaining $11.5 million in state funding. She wanted the funding to install these filters in all Connecticut public school classrooms. The middle schooler wants to be president someday. And she hopes to bring her “Owl Force One” filters to schools across the US. “A lot of people, they don’t realize sometimes, that the only thing standing between them and getting sick is science,” Eniola told WVIT-TV. “If we’re not (putting money behind) that, then we’re not investing in the kids’ future.” The filter is called a Corsi-Rosenthal box. It pulls room air through the filters. These trap aerosols, dust, and viruses. The box then blows clean air out the top. Eniola’s filters were adapted from a non-proprietary design. The latter was made by an engineer and air filtration expert that she’d read about. The filters were first meant to combat the spread of COVID-19. The article piqued her interest because she'd noticed many kids missing school due to allergies and respiratory illnesses. Her filters cost $60. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists tested them. They found that her filters remove 99% of airborne pathogens within an hour. That's better than some more costly filters. Marina Creed head’s UConn’s Health Clean Air Equity Response Program. Creed delivered the filters to the EPA for inspection. She told CT Insider she “was thrilled to hear the results.” “It’s a great project with real world (use),” Creed said. Thought Question: What is one small idea or action you think could help make a difference in your school or community? Photo of air pollution from Unsplash courtesy of DDP.
