High School Teams Competed for Top Honors at the 10th Annual Conrad Innovation Summit

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – High school teams from across the globe gathered at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to compete for honors in the 10^th Annual Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge Summit. Two teams in each of the four categories – Aerospace & Aviation, Cyber Technology & Security, Energy & Environment, and Health & Nutrition – were awarded the prestigious "Pete Conrad Scholars" or the "Power Pitch" awards.

A full list of the 2016 winners can be found here.

The Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge was founded by Nancy Conrad in honor of her late husband, astronaut, innovator and entrepreneur, Charles "Pete" Conrad Jr. The Conrad Challenge is an annual, multiphase innovation and entrepreneurial competition that brings together a dynamic community working collaboratively to develop extraordinary and viable solutions to benefit the world.

"I am so proud of the more than 500 students from 16 countries who began this journey last August," said Nancy Conrad, founder and chairman, Conrad Foundation. "Now in our 10^th year, we continue to provide the inspiration and resources students need to innovate and produce technologies and solutions to real world challenges. Along their journeys these students develop skillsets that we will see in our future workforce. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offered an inspirational backdrop within which our teams thrived."

Each of the 32 finalist teams presented product concepts before a panel of industry experts, leading entrepreneurs, government officials and world-renowned scientists during "Power Pitches" at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Products were evaluated for technical content and marketplace viability.

"Focusing on education, science, technology, engineering and mathematics programming and the future of space exploration is the core of our mission and our inspiration," said Therrin Protze, chief operating officer for Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. "Hosting these teams as they work toward revolutionizing these industries created a welcome opportunity to foster creativity and curiosity, both in space exploration, and beyond."

Winning is just the beginning in this competition. Future opportunities exist for patenting products, speaking engagements and invitations to The White House and the U.S. Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C.

The 2016 Spirit of Innovation Challenge is made possible by The United States Navy, Battelle Research Institute, Lifeway Foods, NASA, Sigma XI: The Scientific Research Society, Project Lead the Way, Griffin Communications Group, Dentons, Carter Ledyard Milburn, Wisconsin Innovation Service Center, SpaceX, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and Delaware North.

For more information about the Spirit of Innovation Challenge, how to contribute to the Conrad Foundation, and to view this year's presentations and awards ceremony, visit www.conradawards.org.

About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex brings to life the epic story of the U.S. space program, offering a full day or more of fun, inspiration and educational activities, including the Kennedy Space Center Tour featuring the Apollo/Saturn V Center with an actual Saturn V moon rocket, Space Shuttle Atlantis^®, Shuttle Launch Experience^®, IMAX^® Hubble 3D and Journey To Space films, Astronaut Encounter, Journey To Mars: Explorers Wanted, Science on a Sphere^®, Rocket Garden, Cosmic Quest, and many other exhibits. Opening 2016 is Heroes and Legends featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Only 45 minutes from Orlando, Fla., Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing times varying by season.  Admission is $50 + tax for adults and $40 + tax for children ages 3-11. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers annual passes starting at $75 + tax for adults and $60 + tax for children ages 3-11. For more information, call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.

About The Conrad Foundation

The Conrad Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to 21st century, immersive learning, where students use their imagination and innovation to enrich their classroom studies by adding context to content. The Foundation is the only organization of its kind whose programs combine education, innovation, and entrepreneurship to inspire solutions for achieving global sustainability. For more information, visit www.conradfoundation.org.

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