Otis Honors High School Teams That Placed Top in Asia-Pacific STEM Presentation Contest

Hiroshima Eichi Gakuen High School Team

Otis Elevator Japan Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Patrick Yong, headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter "Otis Japan") held an awards ceremony to recognize the Hiroshima Eichi Gakuen High School (Otake-shima, Toyota-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture) team, which won first place, and Yamagata Higashi High School (Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture), which secured second place, in the Asia-Pacific regional round of the 6th annual high school presentation contest hosted by Otis, "Made to Move CommunitiesTM." Made to Move Communities is a competition in which high school students use STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) knowledge to develop solutions for mobility challenges. Otis Japan is the Japanese subsidiary of Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS), a global leader in the manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and modernization of elevators and escalators.

A total of 18 high school teams (131 students) from 16 schools across Japan entered the competition. After rigorous evaluation by judges from Otis Japan, Hiroshima Eichi Gakuen High School and Yamagata Higashi High School were selected to represent Japan in the Asia-Pacific regional contest.

The participating high school teams spent several months developing solutions to the challenge: "Design an innovative mobility solution to support communities during natural disasters," with guidance from Otis employee mentors who volunteered their time. The teams ultimately presented their solutions in English to a panel of judges from across the Asia-Pacific region.

The team from Hiroshima Eichi Gakuen High School, located on Otake-shima, an island in the Seto Inland Sea, proposed a novel evacuation support system using AI-equipped drones, addressing evacuation challenges caused by aging populations and geographic isolation during disasters. The idea was highly praised by the judges, earning the team first place in the Asia-Pacific regional contest. Hiroshima Eichi Gakuen High School received a $20,000 (approximately 3 million yen) grant to support its STEM education program.

The team from Yamagata Higashi High School focused on regional challenges in Yamagata Prefecture, where aging is particularly advanced, and devised an innovative solution using AI- and AR-equipped smart glasses to help elderly individuals evacuate safely along optimal routes during disasters, earning them second place. Yamagata Higashi High School received a $15,000 (approximately 2.3 million yen) grant.

Award ceremonies were held at each school in June, attended by Otis Japan President Patrick Yong and Otis employees who supported the student teams. At the ceremony for Hiroshima Eichi Gakuen High School, Patrick Yong said: "In today’s society, we need individuals who can look beyond conventional thinking, approach challenges from diverse perspectives, and turn ideas into concrete solutions. Your presentations clearly demonstrated this kind of flexible thinking and execution ability. I am confident that each of your efforts will open up new possibilities for your local communities."

Sakura Ozaki, a third-year student and team representative from Hiroshima Eichi Gakuen High School, said: "Through Made to Move Communities, Otis gave us the opportunity to tackle real community challenges. We hope to continue contributing to society by leveraging technology, using what we’ve learned from this experience."

A 60-second video of the award ceremony held at Hiroshima Eichi Gakuen High School can be viewed via the link below.

https://youtu.be/nWiagR8vhhc

Yamagata Higashi High School Team

What is the goal of the Made to Move Communities program?

The Made to Move Communities program aims to cultivate the next generation of talent by bringing together students, teachers, and Otis employee mentors to enhance STEM and leadership skills, prepare for future workforce needs, and drive continuous innovation.

What impact has the Made to Move Communities program had on communities?

Since 2020, more than 1,000 Otis employees have served as mentors in the Made to Move Communities program, guiding over 1,250 students. To sustainably support STEM education at participating schools, the program has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to approximately 150 schools.

Why does this year’s Made to Move Communities focus on natural disasters?

Each year, Otis selects a theme based on global trends—such as aging societies, accessibility, and emerging technologies—where the company’s business expertise can make a meaningful contribution. Over the past half-century, the frequency of natural disasters has increased by at least fivefold, with growing scale and severity. Natural disasters can create or exacerbate mobility challenges, vulnerabilities, and needs for affected community members and emergency responders.

For more information about the Made to Move Communities program, please visit www.otis.com.

About Otis

Otis provides the freedom to connect and thrive in a world that’s moving higher, faster, and smarter. As a leading global company, Otis manufactures, installs, maintains, and modernizes elevators and escalators. Otis maintains the industry’s largest installed base of approximately 2.5 million elevators and escalators worldwide, which are used by 2.5 billion people every day. Otis products are installed in iconic buildings and in residential, commercial, and transportation facilities—anywhere movement matters. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis serves customers and users in over 200 countries and regions through a workforce of 72,000, including 45,000 field professionals, dedicated to meeting diverse needs with reliable products. For more information, visit www.otis.com. Follow Otis on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.