Northville High School student Srihan Sankepalle knew that microplastics were a growing problem in the world, so he came up with an idea to help fix it.

He developed a low-cost, scalable system that removes microplastics from water.

"They're in all of our food, like the fish we eat and even the water we drink," the 16-year-old said of microplastics. "And like, over time, as humans consume this, it'll like slowly accumulate in their body."

For his work, Sankepalle was named a winner of the 2025 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. The Barron Prize annually honors 25 "outstanding young leaders" who have made a significant positive impact on people, their communities and the environment, according to a press release. Fifteen top winners each receive $10,000 to support their service work o

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