EXCEPTIONAL ENGINEERING AND EMPATHY

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May 4, 2025

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Innovative course incorporates design thinking and Project Invent, an educational concept focused on developing products that directly affect the lives of those in the community with real-world needs.

At Notre Dame Prep, a number of students in the upper school are finishing up a class aimed at improving the lives of individuals with disabilities. Through the inherent hands-on approach of the engineering and empathy course, which is now well-entrenched in the upper school science curriculum, these young men and women have been designing, testing and prototyping innovative inventions tailored to meet specific accessibility needs. 

It's a class that fits perfectly within the school's mission of educating upright citizens. 

Currently in its fifth year, NDP’s E&E class remains a popular option among students in the upper school. The curriculum takes its cues from Project Invent, a nonprofit founded in 2016 to empower high school students to go out into their communities and invent technologies that make a difference.

According to class instructor Louise Palardy, students are required to meet with a community partner and then conceptualize an impactful technological invention, business plan and marketing strategy.

This semester, students worked with residents of Angels' Place, a Southfield-based nonprofit that provides and creates nurturing, Christ-centered homes, communities and services for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They also met with Shelly Loose, president of Ms. Wheelchair America and a quadriplegic, and Gary Miracle, a bilateral amputee and author of the book, “No More Bad Days.”

Eleven products

After hearing of their sometimes harrowing stories, the students assembled in 11 different teams and conducted market research for inventions, including:

1) Magne-Grab: Tommy Strimpel, Alex Ruschak and Michael Wiebelhaus
A tool for a hand that can magnetically hold kitchen utensils without gripping them.

2) Water Wheelz: Emmy Teolis, Leila Mains and Sophia Gust
Wheelchair attachment that powers a non-power shower chair to help Shelly Loose get into and out of the shower.

3) Toss Boss: Colin Whalen, Sam Stowe, Brody Sink and Marcelino Shabo 
Stump cap for Gary Miracle to play catch with his kids. The stump cap has a quick connect on the end to attach a lacrosse net or a racketball racket.

4) S.O.C.K.: Jake Gartin, Jake Lei, Danny Quandt and Lucas Bigelow 
The invention is for a man who has limited feeling in his legs and feet and has trouble putting on his socks and shoes.

5) Pactival: Elaina Kalabat and Valerie Grass 
This invention is a packing aid for a woman who has trouble packing a travel bag. They have a setting for how many days she will be gone and used RDIF technology to turn the light green when she has enough of each item.

6) Wheelchair Trailer: Massimo Kunath and Jackson Bliss 
Their invention is a "trailer" that connects to the back of a wheelchair and has a conveyor to move items into the cart.

7) Shopping Cart Conveyor Belt: Anthony Palazzolo, Grace Kinkade and Ava Novara 
This product is a shopping conveyor that attaches to a grocery cart handle and drops items into the shopping cart for Loose.

8) Compression Companion: Erin Connelly, Erin Eby and Christianna Fakhouri 
Their invention assists its users with putting on compression socks.

9) Snatch!: Billy Collins, Josh Laura, Cameron George and Ben Liparoto 
Snatch is an innovative device used for reaching items on grocery shelves.

10) HandEase: Billy Bologna, Aidan Greenway, Aidan Mahoney and Joey Aiello 
This invention is designed to help Loose exercise and warm her hands.

11) FireCap: Nick Mardelli, Chris Hunter and Eric Galbraith 
FireCap specifically is for Miracle to warm his upper leg and keep its circulation strong.

Exploring creative thinking

Anthony Palazzolo, who is a junior at Notre Dame Prep, said he really enjoyed the class.

"It was hands-on, collaborative, and pushed us to think creatively about solving real-world problems," he said. "It wasn’t just about building something; it was about understanding how to make a design functional, efficient and user-friendly. The whole process was both challenging and fun."

NDP junior Erin Eby, who worked with teammates Erin Connelly NDP'25 and Christianna Fakhouri NDP'25 on a special device to help with putting compression socks on, said she loved being a part of the engineering and empathy class.

"It also allowed me to explore my creative thinking skills, and put my love for engineering toward a cause that would make a real impact in someone's life," she added. "I was even able to meet with Mrs. Beatrice Janka, who works at a company that develops prosthetics, and she gave us insights into the importance of self-sufficiency for people with physical disabilities."

Palazzolo noted that his favorite part of designing and developing the “shopping cart conveyor belt” was the prototyping process. 

"It was exciting to take a simple idea and gradually bring it to life through trial and error," he said. "It felt great to turn a concept into something tangible that actually worked!"

Students 'lucky' to have such a class

Palardy said she was proud of the work her students did in E&E this semester. 

"The design thinking process used in engineering and empathy is a human-centered approach to problem solving by starting with the person and then fully assessing their needs, expectations and the problems they are facing," she said. "Every student should have the opportunity to realize they can make an impact by solving problems. I love seeing how excited students are when they discover that they can make a difference in someone else’s life and are subsequently empowered in such authentic ways."

For Eby, she says every student should have the opportunity to realize how much they can make an impact one someone else's life by solving problems. 

"I really love seeing how excited my fellow students get when they discover that they can make a real difference in the world. Every young person should be so empowered in these very real and authentic ways." 

She also noted how lucky students at NDP are to have a class like engineering and empathy.

"I am so glad that I was able to be part of the engineering and empathy class and to better understand I actually do have the ability to help people with disabilities."

 

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.