President Obama hosted the 3rd Annual White House Science Fair, highlighting the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country, on Monday, April 22. The science fair featured 100 students from over 40 states and represented 45 different competitions and organizations that recognize the next generation of innovators. The students’ projects ranged from temperature-regulated pads for football players, which will maintain safe body temperatures on the field, to economically-viable algae biofuel, among other impressive ventures.
There were several African-American students who participated in the 2013 Science Fair; BlackEnterprise.com recognizes these young, black phenoms:
Anthony Halmon
Age: 19
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
School: Perspectives Leadership Academy; attending Cornell University in Fall 2013
Favorite subject: Math
Fun fact: Halmon increased his GPA by nearly 2.6 points–from 1.0 to 3.6–once he transferred to Perspectives.
Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Anthony Halmon encountered a few bumps in the road, but the 19-year-old innovator is determined not to become another statistic. Although the death of his father caused the Perspectives Leadership Academy senior to second guess his purpose in life, Halmon turned things around–ditching the fighting, gang-like activity and bad grades–with the help of Pastor Tyrone Gaston of Restoration Ministries Church of God in Christ.
“If you actually make the choice to want to be something in life, then you can be,†says Halmon. “There will be nothing or nobody that can actually stop you.â€
It’s that attitude that fueled the Chicago native to create Thermofier, a pacifier with a built in thermometer and soothing gel that helps ease parents’ worries and babies’ discomfort. Halmon won a position as a Posse Scholar for his dedication to STEM.
BlackEnterprise.com spoke to the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) scholar about  what it was like participating in the annual science fair, why more young people need to get involved in STEM and where he sees himself in the next five years.
BlackEnterprise.com: How was your experience participating in the 2013 White House Science Fair?
Halmon: It
was basically a new experience for me. I never pictured myself actually in the White House, and I never really saw myself actually shaking the hand of the president of the United States of America. And then, on top of that, I saw many young innovators the same age as me. It was very inspiring!You’re the CEO and founder of Thermofier, which produces the pacifier with a built in thermometer. When did you start your company?
I started the company about last year [in] 2012. I was working my whole junior year with the entrepreneurship class that we have in our school [Perspectives Leadership Academy], and also with NFTE. After my entrepreneurship class, I just wanted to throw the business away because I thought I wouldn’t make it anywhere, but I had teachers and mentors such as Ms. [Mary] Hernandez and Jason [Delgatto] that actually said, ‘You have a great idea and maybe you should keep working at it; keep going with it. You can actually do something with this product.’
What inspired this high-tech pacifier?
I became a father in 2010. Before starting in the entrepreneurship class, I was working with NFTE and working with my teachers and they asked me, ‘What do you see a need for? You’re a father so, what do you see a need for?’
I care about the health of my child because I don’t like her being sick all the time and I noticed she usually gets sick when the seasons change. So, I was like, what if you can detect that sickness before it actually gets there? Then, it’s like what does she like most? She likes the pacifier. I use a thermometer to measure her temperature so it gave me the idea: what if I could bring these two together?
Who helped you bring your idea to life?
Mary Hernandez, Jason Delgatto and the whole NFTE organization. They connected me with some engineers from Northwestern [University] and I actually have a prototype of my product now.
I would encourage a lot of people to actually look into the NFTE organization because it’s more than just entrepreneurship. It actually gives people a reason to stay in school, as well, because there were kids that were selling [drugs], getting ready to drop out of school, but through the NFTE process, they actually found an idea, a business, but they also found a family on top of that.
Why do you feel it’s so important to get young people involved in STEM?
I believe it’s so important for young people to get involved in STEM because there are countless opportunities in that field. There are opportunities just waiting.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I would say a politician. I just want to be involved in politics and understand the government more.
Check BlackEnterprise.com/Technology for more features on teens in tech.