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A 12-year-old Nigerian pupil, Eniola Shokunbi has been awarded a grant of $11.5 million to develop and install her air filter system. According to <a href="http://shoppeblack.us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> out of Connecticut, Eniola, a fifth grader, and her team received the unanimously approved grant from the Connecticut State Bond Commission unanimously. 
The grant is to enable Eniola to build and install the air filter system across schools in the state of Connecticut. The low-cost system is touted to neutralize 99 per cent of viruses in the air including the deadly COVID-19 virus. It is the main thrust of Eniola’s ambitious project to improve the quality of air in schools. 
Eniola Shokunbi, a pupil of Commodore McDonough STEM Academy in Middletown Connecticut, has always thought about the need for better quality of air to mitigate against airborne viruses like COVID-19 and the flu. So when she was tasked by the academy to build a solution that will enhance safety in schools during a potential pandemic, she enthusiastically hopped on it.&nbsp; 
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 <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="651" src="https://technext24.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Air-filter.jpg" alt="12-year-old Nigerian pupil Eniola Shokunbi gets $11.5m to build virus-removal air filter" class="wp-image-240296">
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 Air filter installation. Credit: Conditioned Air dot com
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Eniola went ahead to develop a simple but very effective air filter system. The device was built using a box fan, four furnace filters, duct tape and cardboard.&nbsp; 
Speaking about how the air filter works, Eniola said: 
“What it does is that the air goes through all the sides and it comes out on the top so it filters in and out. The air filter takes out over 99 per cent of the viruses in the air and it is effective.” 
The system’s two most important features are that it is very innovative and quite cost-efficient. Altogether, a unit costs about $60 to produce which makes it a whole lot more affordable than commercial air purifiers. 
<h4 id="eniola-shokunbis-air-filter-gets-state-approval" class="wp-block-heading">Eniola Shokunbi’s air filter gets state approval&nbsp;</h4> 
But it wasn’t enough to just put together a 60-dollar contraption and expect it to pass for innovation. So to test her innovation, Eniola obtained support from scientists at the University of Connecticut who put the device through rigorous testing processes.&nbsp; 
Satisfied that the system was as advertised, they proceeded to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which further tested the system and confirmed that it indeed eliminates over 99 per cent of airborne viruses.&nbsp; 
Speaking about Eniola’s presentation at the EPA, State Senator Matt Lesser described her as a fabulous rock star, wowing every room she is in front of. About the system, the senator said it is more affordable and more effective than the products currently in the market. 
“This stuff is more effective than a lot of the commercial products that are available in the market. A lot cheaper and a lot more effective,” he said. 
The EPA also certified that it has the potential to significantly improve classroom safety, prompting the Connecticut State Bond Commission to step in with a $11.5 million grant. 
The grant is part of the University of Connecticut’s Supplemental Air Filtration for Education Program (SAFE), and is for the purpose of installing the air filter system across schools in the state.&nbsp; 
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 <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://technext24.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/CSR-Zoho-partners-Bridge-International-Academies-to-educate-underprivileged-children-in-Nigeria-Kenya-and-Uganda-2.jpg" alt="CSR: Zoho partners Bridge International Academies to educate underprivileged children in Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda" class="wp-image-236264">
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 A teacher with students in a classroom. Source: Bridge International Academies
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Shokunbi’s vision extends beyond Connecticut; she aspires to see her air filters implemented in classrooms nationwide. “A lot of people don’t realize that the only thing standing between them and getting sick is science,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of investing in scientific solutions for children’s health. 
However, Eniola says her vision extends beyond the state as she hopes to bring quality air to schools across the United States. 
“A lot of people do not realize sometimes that the only thing standing between them and getting sick is science. Like the air filter, the air conditioning, if we are not investing in that then we are not investing in kids’ future,” she said. 
Eniola Shokunbi says one day she wants to become the president of the USA.&nbsp; 
See also: <a href="https://technext24.com/2020/07/22/10-year-old-nigerian-emmanuella-oziofu-hired-to-teach-coding-and-graphic-design-in-uk-school/#google_vignette">10-Year-Old Nigerian Emmanuella Oziofu Hired To Teach Coding And Graphic Design in UK School</a>

12-year-old Nigerian pupil gets $11.5m to install her virus-removal air filter in US schools

Technext.ng

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