Eight Student Teams Named National Winners of 34th Annual ExploraVision Competition

Toshiba and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) honor student innovation with prizes and award ceremony in Washington, D.C.

MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) today announce eight national winners of the 34th annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition, the world’s largest K-12 science competition. This year’s winners have shared innovative proposals to help overcome some of the greatest challenges facing the world today, from healthcare challenges to transportation efforts to protecting the environment.

The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition is designed to inspire students to develop the skills emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards, including problem-solving, critical-thinking and collaboration skills. To participate, students must imagine and produce a system or a technology with the potential to solve the problems of the future. Regional finalist ideas were judged by a multidisciplinary panel of scientists across various sectors of government (e.g., NIH, NASA, NSF), academic researchers, biotechnology scientists and physician researchers.

“We are incredibly proud to support a program like ExploraVision that inspires students to think creatively and tackle real-world challenges through STEM,” said Tom Kumagai, Chairman & CEO, Toshiba America, Inc. “The creativity and dedication shown by all participants reflect the kind of forward-thinking innovation needed to build a more sustainable and resilient future. These national winners represent the very best of that spirit, and we congratulate them on this outstanding achievement. At Toshiba, we remain committed to empowering the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators who will continue to push boundaries and shape what’s possible.”

Winning solutions this year are:

• Next generation healthcare solutions: winning projects addressed some of today’s most critical healthcare challenges, including early virus protection (Buddy Band), brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s patients (Modified Tregs against CBI in Alzheimer’s), and regeneration technology for heart attack patients (SYNCARDIA).
• The future of agriculture: The Bug Botics project protects the world’s farmland with insect-size robots that fight pests without the need for chemical pesticides.
• Preserving infrastructure: winning projects also addressed infrastructure challenges with early damage detection and repair solutions (ReACT-SHM) and heat flow management for data centers, spacecrafts, and more (Micro-Gap Thermal Diode for Passive Heat Control).
• Other future technologies: winning technological designs also include a sock that provides simulation to improve strength, balance and prevent falls (Smart Sock) and an underwater device to help save individuals who may be drowning (The UnderWatch LifeGuard).

“Each year, these extraordinary students remind us just how perceptive and innovative young people can be,” said NSTA President Beverly DeVore-Wedding, Ph.D. “Their national-winning projects reflect a strong awareness of the challenges facing our world, paired with the ingenuity and determination to address them. Guided by educators who spark curiosity and critical thinking, these students are already envisioning bold solutions for the future. It’s inspiring to see the next generation thinking so ambitiously about what lies ahead.”

ExploraVision Prizes
The eight national winning teams are comprised of a first-place winner and second-place winner from four groups based on grade level. Members of first place nationally winning teams each receive a $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity). Members of second place nationally winning teams will each receive a $5,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity).

The national winners of ExploraVision 2026 are invited to participate in an award ceremony on Friday, June 5 in Washington, D.C. During this event, students will have the opportunity to present their winning ideas to Bill Nye ‘the Science Guy,’ a renowned scientist, engineer, author, and inventor, who is a strong advocate of STEM education and the ExploraVision program. The event will conclude with an awards ceremony where the winning teams will be formally recognized for their creativity and accomplishments.

For 34 consecutive years, sponsored by Toshiba and administered by NSTA, ExploraVision has helped students to expand their imagination and have fun while developing an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education at an early age.

For more information, visit www.exploravision.org or email [e-mail]. Follow ExploraVision on X at @ToshibaAmerica, Instagram at @Toshiba_STEMEducation, or join the ExploraVision Facebook Fan Page at www.Facebook.com/ToshibaAmerica.

Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision 2026 National Winners

2026 First-Place Winners:
Grade K-3: The UnderWatch LifeGuard
Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary School
Folsom, CA
Project Storyboard here

Grade 4-6: Bug Botics: Technology Meets Sustainable Farming
Willow Springs Elementary School
Fairfax, VA
Project Website here

Grade 7-9: Micro-Gap Thermal Diode for Passive Heat Control
Lowery Freshman Center
Allen, TX
Project Website here

Grade 10-12: SYNCARDIA: Mechanogated Cardiac Regeneration
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Alexandria, VA
Project Website here

2026 Second-Place Winners
Grade K-3: Buddy Band
Deep Creek Central Elementary School and North Landing Elementary School
Chesapeake, VA and Virginia Beach, VA
Project Storyboard here

Grade 4-6: Smart Sock
St. Thomas the Apostle
Miami, FL
Project Website here

Grade 7-9: Modified IPSC Tregs Combating CBI in Alzheimer’s
Academies of Loudoun
Leesburg, VA
Project Website here

Grade 10-12: ReACT-SHM: Responsive Concrete Technology
Jericho High School
Jericho, NY
Project Website here

About Toshiba
In 2026, following the celebration of its 150th anniversary in 2025, Toshiba Group continues to enhance its management structure, streamline operations, and invest in forward‑looking businesses to build foundations for new growth. This will allow it to continue to support advances toward a sustainable future with products and services developed by its wide range of businesses in the energy, digital infrastructure, and electronic devices domains. Guided by its corporate philosophy, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future.,” Toshiba brings industry‑leading capabilities in green transformation (GX) and digital transformation (DX) to solutions for companies addressing the many challenges faced by modern society. By leveraging the power of data derived from its constantly evolving products and solutions, the Group is determined to help achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy. In fiscal year 2025, Toshiba Group recorded annual sales of 3.5 trillion yen and employed 95,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Toshiba America, Inc. 
Founded in 1965, Toshiba America, Inc. (TAI) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Toshiba Corporation and the holding company of three Toshiba operating companies that offer a broad range of products and solutions for the commercial, energy and industrial sectors. The three companies, which along with TAI are known collectively as Toshiba America Group, are Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (Semiconductor & data storage solutions), Toshiba America Energy Systems, Corp. (Power generation solutions), Toshiba International Corporation (Industrial, power electronics & transmission & distribution solutions), and a Toshiba America Company, Toshiba America Business Solutions (Multifunction printers, label and receipt printers, digital signage, managed print services, and cloud solutions).

About NSTA
The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is a vibrant community of 35,000 science educators and professionals committed to best practices in teaching science and its impact on student learning. NSTA offers high quality science resources and continuous learning so that science educators grow professionally and excel in their career. For new and experienced teachers alike, the NSTA community offers the opportunity to network with like-minded peers at the national level, connect with mentors and leading researchers, and learn from the best in the field. For more information, visit www.nsta.org, or follow NSTA on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or Bluesky.