NEW YORK, June 16, 2026 – Working in Support of Education (W!se), a nonprofit dedicated to improving economic mobility through financial literacy education, and college and career readiness, hosted its 31st Annual Quality of Life Innovations (QLI) Awards Ceremony in the Frederick P. Rose Auditorium at Cooper Union in New York City. The event honored the brilliance of NYC high school students from all five boroughs who designed creative, research-driven solutions to take on urgent quality-of-life challenges in their local neighborhoods.
422 students submitted their research proposals earlier this year through the Quality of Life Innovations Program (QLI) for the chance to win college scholarships. Eight proposals were selected as finalists and showcased their community-driven solutions to a distinguished judging panel of NYC business and community leaders. Three winners received scholarships for their outstanding ideas and additional recognitions were awarded for excellence in research, writing, and creative problem-solving.
Below are the 2026 winners:
- First Place was awarded to Rayyan Shafqat from Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene for his proposal, “Arduino-based Carbon Monoxide Detection System with Automated Boiler Shutoff Mechanism,” that designed a low-cost carbon monoxide detection system to automatically shut off boilers, providing a reliable solution that reduces reliance on human response.
- Second Place was awarded to Jiexi Pan, Joaquin Lago, and Anthony Ou from Staten Island Technical High School for their proposal, “Early Warning System for Combined Sewer Overflow,” that developed a low-cost sensor network that predicts sewer overflows by monitoring soil saturation and rainfall.
- Third Place was awarded to Shehrin Habib, Sophia Llopis, and Angelina Belliard from Forest Hills High School for their proposal, “ArtReach: Connecting NYC Public High School Students with the Arts,” that created a free directory of arts institutions and a field‑trip model, addressing barriers like cost and awareness to increase student access to hands-on arts experiences.
The Quality of Life Innovations Program (QLI) invites high school students to become civically engaged and social entrepreneurs by using applied research to solve real-world problems. Students conduct extensive background and field research on a quality of life issue that they choose, and work with key stakeholders to develop and implement feasible solutions.
“These remarkable students have used their imagination, creativity, and passion to identify and implement solutions to pressing issues in their communities. We are so proud of their commitment to improve the world around them,” said David Anderson, President and CEO of W!se. “Sincere thanks to Santander US, for funding this year’s scholarship awards. We also thank our lead sponsor, PwC, the Herb Block Foundation, the Henry E. Niles Foundation and Goldman Sachs for their funding, helping to make this year’s QLI program a continued success.”
To view images of the ceremony, click here.
About Working in Support of Education (W!se)
Working in Support of Education (W!se) is a leading New York City-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving economic mobility through programs that foster financial literacy and readiness for college and careers. W!se’s initiatives are grounded in five pillars: relevancy, real-world experiences, partnerships, volunteerism, and evaluation.
Media Contact:
Press(at)wise-ny.org