Some of Mr. Harskowitch’s AP Statistics students traveled to the PennDot Innovations Challenge and presented innovative and unique ideas.
The PennDOT Innovations Challenge is a statewide competition for high school students to develop creative and strategic solutions to real-world transportation challenges. 2026 is the ninth year that the PennDOT Innovation Challenge has happened. The challenge reflects the Shapiro Administration’s focus on a safe, efficient transportation system and growing Pennsylvania’s workforce by introducing students to current transportation challenges and encouraging them to explore careers in transportation after high school.
The full Norwin Team consisted of seniors Cade Kubistek and Maerek Moenssens, as well as juniors Roman Ola and Ryan Schoemer. Their idea was named PennWorks, an application on the iPads of all PennDot road crew workers that utilized AI software. The software would guide the workers to help set up safety precautions to make their work environment safer.
Moensens, Ola, and Schoemer aimed to make a presentation that demonstrated the Shapiro Administration’s goals. With the unique challenge of keeping work crews protected and the traveling public safe in work zones, this year’s challenge asked students to develop a concept for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in work zones to dramatically improve safety for work crews and road users.
“It was fun to present a solution to people who actually work at PennDot,” said Ola. “It was interesting to hear their response and get their real-life perspective on our solution.”
The PennDOT Innovations Challenge is a statewide competition for high school students to develop creative and strategic solutions to real-world transportation challenges. 2026 is the ninth year that the PennDOT Innovation Challenge has happened. The challenge reflects the Shapiro Administration’s focus on a safe, efficient transportation system and growing Pennsylvania’s workforce by introducing students to current transportation challenges and encouraging them to explore careers in transportation after high school.
Therefore, the students were inspired to utilize a software that would ensure safety for workers while increasing productivity.
“We thought about taking pictures with AI because AI can analyze those pictures,” said Ola. “It inspired us to come up with an app that uses AI to maximize the safety of PennDot workers. You would take a picture of your future work zone and would give you suggestions of what to put there that would make it as safe as possible.”
Despite the fact that their idea was not selected to move on to the state finals, the judges were impressed with the innovative idea and professionalism of the presenters.
