At first glance, PBS's Design Squad may seem like just another design show like all the others. But this one is different in several ways. First, it features high school kids. And second, these kids aren't decorating -- they are engineering. From constructing cardboard furniture to designing an underwater prostheses for an amputee dancer, the kids tackle real projects for real people. And for their efforts, they have the chance to win some real money in the form of scholarships.

As a special contest, the show recently sponsored a Trash to Treasure competition and a creative 12-year-old boy walked away the big winner. Max Wallack rose the the challenge to re purpose trash into something useful with his Home Dome invention. Constructed of plastic bags filled with Styrofoam packing peanuts, the Home Dome was designed to serve as a temporary shelter for homeless people and disaster victims.

Max's design was inspired by a trip he took to Chicago six years ago. "When I was six, I won an invention contest that included a trip to Chicago. While there, I saw homeless people living on streets, and beneath highways and underpasses. I felt very sorry for these people, and ever since then, felt that my goal and obligation was to find a way to help them. My invention improves the living conditions for homeless people, refugees, or disaster victims by giving them easy-to-assemble shelter," he said.

Max won $10,000 cash, a laptop computer and a trip to Boston to see his invention built. But he says he isn't interested the money -- he's all about helping people. What a cool kid! Congratulations to Max and all the other finalists.