Zak Kennedy's winning "Green Idea" and other entries are on display through May 16 at PiES, in South Main Square Business Center, 442 S. Main St.

Four projects by students from area high schools earned honors – and scholarships for their creators – at the first Green Idea Factory Competition April 14 at the Davidson-based Project for Innovation, Energy & Sustainability (PiES). Topping the list was a “solar composter” by W.A. Hough High School freshman Zachary Kennedy.

The competition was part of the 2012 North Carolina Science Festival. Students from Davidson Day School, Community School of Davidson, Woodlawn School and Hough High School submitted projects focused on energy efficiency and other green ideas.

Scholarships were awarded for first and second places, an honorable mention, and most popular – determined in a vote of spectactors at the April 14 event. The winners were:

1st Place: Zachary Kennedy, a freshman from Hough, presented the Solar Composter, an invention that through use of a solar panel heating system optimizes the composting process so that it can be used year round, while preventing weeds and parasites.

2nd Place: Austin Bruckner and Scott Krabath, sophomores from the Community School of Davidson created a unique prototype wind turbine, influenced by modern architecture, which harnesses wind energy to create electricity.

Honorable Mention: David Keener, a junior from Woodlawn School was honored for his 6-watt portable solar battery charger, providing clean, consistent, and convenient renewable energy.

Most Popular: Ashley Ernest and Bekah Conner from the Community School of Davidson won the most votes for their eco-friendly trashcan, a device that needs no trash bags and therefore saves petroleum products daily.

CEREMONY MAY 16

An award ceremony will be held for students, parents and faculty on May 16, from 7 to 9 p.m., at PiES, located at The Business Center, 442 S. Main St. Davidson. Scholarship awards from $1,500 to $5,000 will be paid to students upon graduation and placement into the college of their choice.

In addition to the student projects, the April 14 competition included exhibits from companies housed at PiES, a local green business incubator, as well as area companies featuring energy, green and clean technologies. The exhibitors at the event included Lime Energy, Macon & Associates, and Fuel Pizza.

The competition and scholarships were sponsored by Lime Energy, The McIntosh Law Firm, Discovery Place, The Town of Davidson, Park Avenue Properties, Peoples Bank, State Farm Insurance, Daetwyler Clean Energy, Macon & Associates, Davidson PostNet and Fuel Pizza.

The Green Idea Factory Competition was among numerous events as part of the 2012 North Carolina Science Festival (NCSF). The NCSF spans two weeks, April 13-29, 2012, and features events across the state for adults, families and children of all ages.