THERE IS HOPE: YOUNG BANJA LUKA INNOVATORS DONATE AWARD TO "PREDAH" HOUSE

Young innovators, including elementary and high school students from Banja Luka, secured third place at the "Sarajevo Innovations Festival" (SIFI), one of the most important events dedicated to innovations and technological progress, leaving behind university students.

Talented students Đorđe Gajić from the Electrical Engineering School in Banja Luka, Strahinja Pajić from "Aleksa Šantić" Elementary School in Banja Luka, Tarik Đonlagić from the Electrical Engineering School in Prijedor, and Filip Ćustić from "Georgios A. Papandreu" Elementary School in Laktaši presented their CNC machine project, "DVD Engraver," which uses old DVD player parts for precise engraving.

With the expert mentorship provided by students from the Faculty of Information Technology at the Pan-European University "Apeiron," Daniel Menićanin and Jelena Radanović, they achieved significant success at the festival, known for gathering the most talented young innovators from across the region.

These students demonstrated not only talent but also humanity by donating their 600 KM prize to the construction of the "Predah" house for children with developmental disabilities.

Menićanin, who has been teaching programming to high school and university students for a long time, emphasized that he aims to encourage children to step away from their phones, develop their ideas, and learn more effectively.

"My goal was to train the kids, and they completed the project on their own, even using a different software than what I use. My assistance was in the form of training and providing videos I thought could help them build the CNC machine," he said, adding that the project took them half a year to complete.

According to him, this project proved that innovations don't have to be expensive or require the latest technologies but can come from everyday objects we no longer use.

"Few children attend my free courses, but they are hardworking, and I will continue working with them. Many give up at first, but I encourage them to stay on the path, and they later become ambitious," said Menićanin, adding that all interested parties are welcome to join the training.

One of the standout innovators, Đorđe Gajić, highlighted that participating in SIFI was one of the most significant experiences of his life.

"Working on the CNC machine 'DVD Engraver' project was a real challenge, but thanks to our team and mentors, we managed to create something we are proud of. Through this process, I learned a lot about technology, but also about the importance of collaboration and idea exchange," said Gajić.

He expressed special gratitude to the mentors.

"What makes me even happier is that we donated the prize to a humanitarian cause because I believe it's important to contribute to the community with our work. This experience motivated me to continue in the world of innovation and technology," Gajić added.

The students' teachers and mentors are especially proud of their decision to donate the prize to the "Predah" house.

"This gesture of solidarity and empathy not only shows the technical maturity of these young innovators but also their deep awareness of the community's needs and a desire to help those who need it most. These actions embody the true value of innovation—not only to serve technical progress but also to create a better and fairer society," concluded Daniel Menićanin.