C6 Appalachian
In February 2020, Enactus Appalachian began to develop C6 Appalachian, a project in partnership with the Appalachian State University Sustainable Energy Society. The goal of C6 Appalachian is to debunk the myth of single-use plastic by creating sustainable products that not only provide a practical purpose but also address a pertinent social need in the community.
C6 Appalachian utilizes LDPE bottle caps to create whistles to be used as a preventative measure against sexual assault through a mold injection system in Appalachian State’s Plastics Lab. C6 Appalachian is also working on COVID-19 products.
Enactus Early Stage Competition
First Place Early Stage Competition
Enactus USA had an Early Stage Competition for the first time, a competition where projects did not have to be executed yet. “This type of competition was perfect for our team because C6 Appalachian is still in the planning stage; we hope to be in operation by the end of the year,” said Enactus Appalachian President Isabella Riley.
“Competing in the first-ever Early Stage Competition was no easy task. We had to create a seven-minute presentation, a project summary, and participate in a question and answer session with judges from KPMG, Unilever, Walmart, and many other sponsor companies,” recalls Secretary Kelly Shlup. Enactus Appalachian went on to win the Early Stage Competition, beating teams from the University of Florida, Ohio University, and others. Judges remarked that C6 Appalachian was an innovative solution to multiple social issues.
The students of Enactus Appalachian were ecstatic to win their first competition as a chapter with a project that means so much to them. Vice President of Projects Adam Garrison noted, “This win was a culmination of two years of hard work as a chapter. I was thrilled to have the validation of current industry leaders that our project has the potential to make a real difference in the world.”