High Tech High School Students Earn National Recognition in Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Competition
High Tech High School is proud to announce that several of its students have been named top honorees in the 2026 National High School Design Competition, hosted by the prestigious Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
Out of nearly 700 submissions nationwide, work from the following High Tech High School students was selected to be featured on the competition’s official interactive map, which showcases exemplary student innovation across the United States:
Group: Matthew Kubowicz, Daniel Milanov, and Ethan Isenberg
- Viviana Diaz
- Angel Hernandez
- Kevin Riera
- Teo Dierig (Industrial Design)
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States, this year’s challenge tasked students with designing visionary solutions for the future of their communities. The recognized projects from High Tech High School stand out for their creativity, technical innovation, and commitment to solving real-world challenges.
The school credits the success of these students to the guidance of CTE Instructor Vanessa Batista, who integrated the national competition into her curriculum to foster design thinking and civic engagement.
“We are incredibly proud of our students for earning national recognition in such a competitive and impactful program,” said Gregory Simon, Supervisor at High Tech High School. “Opportunities like this highlight the strength of our CTE programs and the visionary thinking our students bring to challenges that truly matter to their communities.”
The public is invited to explore the recognized student work on the interactive competition map.
High Tech High School congratulates all participating students and celebrates this achievement on a national platform.
