Making the grade
Westisle student brings home SHAD awards with innovative roof shingles
As the moment approached, Abby Hackett sat next to her teammates and texted her father.
“Hey, the team that won the SHAD Cup won every award. I don’t think it’s us though,” she typed.
Within seconds, Hackett and her teammates were cheering and celebrating after making SHAD history, dominating every category.
“We never imaged we would take home all five awards in one of the most prestigious high school competitions you can be a part of,” said Hackett, a 16-year-old from Tignish, and Grade 11 student at Westisle Composite High School. The 11-member team brought home Best Application of Theme, Best Prototype, Best Application of Scientific Principles, Best Business Plan and SHAD Innovators of the Year.
In July, she attended a fourweek STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) based enrichment and entrepreneurship program hosted at 16 university campuses across Canada.
Hackett was stationed at the Carleton camp where she and her team were challenged to develop and pitch an entrepreneurial solution to “help Canadians meaningfully reduce their energy footprint,” which was the theme of the 2017 program.
“After we were split into our groups we each had to work to brainstorm three ideas to pitch to judges. As the paper was going around, I said to the others in my group what about colour changing siding for houses.”
From there, the idea melded into roof shingles optimized to repel heat in summer and insulate your home in winter through a combination of paints.
“On warm days, the tiles will appear white to reflect the sun’s rays, and on colder, cloudy days the tiles will turn black to encourage absorption.”
Then the team put together a financial plan, marketing pitches and worked to find producers and suppliers.
“As we were making calls, we kept hitting walls when we interacted with businesses so I decided I would call businesses in P.E.I. which really worked out for us.
“Island businesses served as a resource for our campaign, they gave us phone numbers to call, questions to ask and suggestions. It was really great.”
At the end of the four-week camp, the group had to present to a group of judges. After everyone’s presentations were completed, participants had to vote for the one thought should win the competition.
“We didn’t think we would win that either. Our team wanted to do its best, but we never made each other feel that we absolutely had to win. So I think that added even more to the shock of winning the initial contest that lead us to the SHAD – John Dobson Entrepreneurship Cup.”
SHAD is a Canadian charity that empowers high school students to recognize their capabilities. Each year, SHAD provides the opportunity for 900 students from across Canada and internationally to attend a month-long summer program, at a Canadian university focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts & math).
It’s been an incredible experience, said Hackett.
“I’m very proud of our team and proud to bring this title back to P.E.I. We’re the team future SHAD participants will be talking about as the first team to win all five awards. Now we’re also looking to patent our idea after we continue to test the idea. And in 15, 20 years time, if I see our Kameleon tiles on roofs I’ll tell my kids that I made that happen, I helped create them.”