© Minchi Kim (Angelina’s mom)

The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, a seaside suburb of San Diego, CA, has a reputation for being one of the best college preparatory schools in the United States. Originally, the school opened as an all-girls boarding school in 1909, becoming a co-educational institution in 1971. Approximately 800 students are enrolled in the grades 6 through 12 programs, which are known for excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts.

One such student is 17-year-old Angelina Kim, who is ready to take on the world with her innovative, award-winning drone designs. Angelina, who has lived in San Diego all her life, says she loves the beach and everything about the ocean. She also loves engineering and how it provides multiple ways of solving everyday problems. Inspired by both of her passions, Angelina came up with a dual-drone system that can scout for rip currents and be used to rescue swimmers from them.

Working with her advisor, Bishop’s Chemistry teacher Mr. Anthony Pelletier, Angelina began drafting ideas that could provide a public safety service for beachgoers. The first step was to identify a problem in need of solving. For Angelina, this problem was the identification of dangerous rip currents and how to use a drone to spot them. “The scout drone would take and analyze photos using a system I developed to identify rip currents and the depth of the ocean,” Angelina explains. “because there is a difference between being in a rip current when you are barely on shore vs. when the water is up to your neck.” Being able to distinguish such factors goes a long way in prioritizing lifesaving resources.

Angelina modified an existing drone kit to not only quantify rip currents but also recognize if a victim is caught in one. If a victim is caught, the drone could alert lifeguards on shore to take emergency action. However, Angelina realized there was still a gap in her system. It was great that her scouting drone could spot dangerous rip currents and victims, but she wanted a way to help these victims further. Her solution was to design a second, larger drone that could be deployed by lifeguards as an emergency response vehicle. This larger rescue drone can be flown out to a victim and drop a flotation device attached to a rope. The drone can then tow the victim to shore, drastically cutting down rescue time while simultaneously minimizing risks to lifeguards.

Mr. Pelletier helped ensure that Angelina had access to everything needed, advised her with modification suggestions, and reviewed her proposals before submitting the drone system into competitions. After trialing the drones at local and regional science fairs, Angelina qualified to enter her design at the International Science and Engineering Fair held in Los Angeles. Her drones impressed the judges so much that she won a $1,000 prize and a coveted $10,000 scholarship to the world-renowned Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Upon winning the scholarship, Angelina said, “I was so surprised. The IEEE is an institute I have admired for such a long time. So when I was awarded the scholarship, I was so happy. It was great to be recognized and have support for the work I plan to do in college.” But before she even graduates from the Bishop’s School, Angelina has greater plans for her drone system. She has already started working with local lifeguards to implement the drone system in real-world scenarios. “My biggest dream,” she said, “is to improve my scout and rescue drones so they can be deployed near every body of water, including beaches, rivers, and lakes.

Many lakes do not have lifeguards, but they are just as dangerous. So I want to mass-produce them for deployment across the country.” As Angelina continues to develop her innovative drone system, her vision of improving public safety and saving lives is becoming a reality. With her passion for engineering and commitment to addressing real-world challenges, she is not only paving the way for future technological advancements but also inspiring others to think creatively about solutions that can make a difference.

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