At just 11 years old, Eniola Shokunbi is making a big impact in Connecticut and beyond. The young innovator, a sixth grader at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy in Middletown, has been garnering widespread recognition for her groundbreaking work in designing low-cost air filters to combat the spread of viruses in classrooms.
Shokunbi’s journey began in fifth grade when she spearheaded a design-and-build project with her classmates. Using simple materials—a box fan, four furnace filters, duct tape, and cardboard—she created an air filter that effectively clears aerosols carrying viruses from the air. The ingenuity of her design, coupled with its affordability, has impressed everyone from her peers to state leaders.
With assistance from scientists at the University of Connecticut, Shokunbi and her team rigorously tested the effectiveness of their creation. The results were so compelling that they presented their findings at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). State Senator Matt Lesser, speaking to NBC Connecticut, praised the innovation, saying, “This stuff is more effective than a lot of the commercial products on the market; it’s a lot cheaper and a lot more effective.”
Shokunbi’s efforts reached a milestone when she attended the Connecticut State Bond Commission meeting and witnessed the unanimous approval of $11.5 million to assemble and install her air filters in schools statewide. This step aligns perfectly with her vision of equipping every classroom in the U.S. with these affordable, effective air filters to ensure students have safe and healthy learning environments.
“I want them to go to school knowing that they’re safe, that they’re healthy, that they can learn,” Shokunbi told NBC Connecticut. Her passion for improving public health and her ability to inspire others are evident not only in her invention but also in the way she lights up while explaining her work.
Shokunbi’s accomplishments are a testament to the power of young minds to solve real-world problems. With ambitions of one day becoming President of the United States, she’s already making a significant impact at a young age.
For more about Eniola Shokunbi’s inspiring story and her innovative air filter project, check out the full report by NBC Connecticut here.
