Castle HS students win full-tuition scholarships to UE

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - Three Tri-State high school students just won full-tuition scholarships to the University of Evansville, for putting a good idea to work.

It was all part of the High School "Changemaker Challenge" Finals on Thursday.

Castle High School students Hannah Jaramillo, Cody Smith and Austin Fonseca were the winners. They are the masterminds behind "Communitree:" a steel-framed tree-shape structure that emits electricity.

Anybody would be able to plug in electronics, charge a phone, enjoy Wi-Fi and sit on the tree's root structure, which would be made of benches.

"It gave us the opportunity to apply ourselves instead of just working on writing papers and things like that," Smith said. "We actually get to focus what we like to do and put it together to create something and I think that's awesome."

The challenge is meant to motivate young people to take the lead in finding innovative and creative solutions to challenges facing today's world.