LA JOLLA, Calif. (KGTV) — A local high school student is on a mission to create more housing for people living on the streets.
"These are real people that deserve our empathy and our help," Renee Wang said.
Wang is a senior at The Bishop's School in La Jolla.
She has five classes and is also the captain of the golf team.
But even with a busy schedule, Wang developed an idea to address homelessness.
During the pandemic, Wang and her family would pass out food and clothing to homeless people.
She said it gave her the opportunity to talk with people she came across and find out what they really needed.
"They kind of felt that the fundamental flaw and the things that they really needed the most was an effective housing solution that would provide them with more dignity and independence," she said.
Wang eventually came up with the idea of easy-to-assemble tiny homes for unsheltered people.
Her design is called 'RUBIX Living', inspired by the Rubik's Cube.
"They're [Rubik's Cubes] very modular, and so I began to think about putting these kinds of spaces in the modular shape of a Rubik's Cube," she said.
The tiny home uses bamboo and recycled plastics as its main construction materials, as well as runs on solar power and an independent plumbing system.
Wang said it's modular design would make it easier and faster to manufacture and assemble.
"It's very versatile, and it can be used in not only homelessness sheltering but also natural disasters or other types of temporary housing," Wang said.
The idea has impressed others.
The Davidson Institute, which supports young people working to make a positive difference, awarded Wang a $25,000 scholarship for her project.
She is one of only 21 students across the country to be recognized as a 2023 scholarship winner.
For now, Wang's idea is a just a prototype, but she hopes by pursuing a career in architecture, she can make it a reality.
"It's kind of giving me more confidence that it can be a real, viable product and can help real people because it's been approved by experts and judges in the industry," she said.
Wang said she's already spoken to Mayor Todd Gloria and city council members about her idea.
