Duval County Public Schools Innovation Challenge

Application

Students establish teams of four and investigate how peers can recognize early warning signs and take meaningful action, developing innovative solutions that strengthen awareness, support, and student well-being.

Register your team online and explain how you will approach this health topic with an innovative solution.

Once the UNF team receives applications, four teams will be selected based on their preliminary idea to participate in the MedNexus | DCPS Innovation Challenge.

Applications for the 2026 DCPS Innovation challenge will open on August 26, 2026.

The Intervention

Throughout September and October, the four selected teams will design an innovative solution focused on early action and peer-driven approaches to opioid awareness and prevention.

Teams are encouraged to think creatively about how technology, communication strategies, and community-based ideas can be leveraged to support early identification, decision-making, and access to support. Solutions may take a variety of forms, including digital tools, platforms, campaigns, or other scalable intervention models.

University of North Florida MedNexus will connect each team with a UNF faculty member to provide guidance and feedback as they develop and refine their concept and final presentation.

Samuel Mathies, M.A.| Associate Instructor School of Communication 

Sam Mathies began his study of communication as an undergraduate student on the speech and debate team. He qualified for national competitions and received many awards. He continued his education and has taught in the communication field and coached speech and debate for over 30 years.  He focuses on applying theories of human communication to a variety of relational contexts. He teaches courses in Public Speaking, Group and Team Effectiveness, Communication Theory, and Intercultural Communication. His primary areas of service on campus include serving as the track coordinator for the Communication Studies major, being an active member of the Student Conduct Board, and providing academic advising to new students during summer orientation. Outside of UNF, Sam enjoys running, gardening, and raising chickens.

Martin Luytjes, Ph.D.| Associate Director Blackstone LaunchPad, Assistant Director of Innovation Crowley Center 

Professional experience includes ten years of Corporate Banking, the last five with SunTrust. Following that, he worked on entrepreneurial ventures as well as teaching at the collegiate level at Florida International University (FIU), where he was also a founding faculty member of the Pino Center for Global Entrepreneurship.

Luytjes then took a leave to open two Chicken Kitchen franchises in Miami, building them and selling them after six years, returning to FIU and then completing his Doctoral work.

Moving to Ponte Vedra Beach in 2012, he rebuilt the entrepreneurship program at Jacksonville University for three years, including the inception of the JU Dolphin Pitch Contest and the rekindling of the Davis Entrepreneurship Organization.

Luytjes has been teaching at UNF for four years, focusing in Entrepreneurship curriculum. He  later co-authored a grant to start the UNF Blackstone Launchpad (BLP) in August 2023 and now runs the BLP while continuing to teach. Other entrepreneurial programs at UNF he participated in include the Florida Veterans Entrepreneurship Program (FVEP) and the Swisher Growth Cohort for Underrepresented Entrepreneurs.

Stephanie Hooper, MPH| Instructor of Public Health

Stephanie L. Hooper is an Instructor in the Department of Public Health in the Brooks College of Health (BCH), teaching Foundations of Public Health, Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Eating, and Personal and Public Health. Outside of the classroom, she serves as the faculty advisor to the UNF Public Health Alumni Network (PHAN), a group of professionals that are dedicated to service, education, and student engagement. Additionally, she is a co-faculty lead for a Brooks College of Health student group titled the Brooks Ambassadors, a selection of exemplary BCH students that represent the college at recruitment and community events and are provided with mentorship and leadership training. Within the community, she is the Chief Scientific Officer for a Jacksonville-based company centered on health and wellness. As such, she coordinates research studies focused on health behaviors, supplements, and products, often with a particular focus on sleep and stress. Prior to attaining her Master of Public Health and becoming an instructor and research coordinator, she worked for over ten years in community pathology laboratories as a certified Histotechnologist (HTL).

Grant Bevill, Ph.D.| Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Grant Bevill is a mechanical engineering professor at UNF who loves using science and technology to solve real-world problems. He focuses on designing safer helmets, improving protective equipment, and building tools that help people—especially children—live healthier, more active lives.

He is also one of the lead professors for the MedNexus Senior Design Engineering program, where he mentors student teams working on innovative healthcare and biomedical solutions.

In the classroom, Dr. Bevill teaches courses like robot motion control, biomechanics, and materials science. He also guides college students through hands-on research projects that blend engineering and creativity.

Whether it's building safer sports gear or helping students bring their ideas to life, Dr. Bevill is passionate about using engineering to make a difference.