The fifth annual Westerville City Schools Middle School Invention Convention was held at Blendon Middle School on Wednesday, April 9, where 42 students represented each of the four middle schools. Sponsored by the Gifted Education Department and each middle school, students competed at the building level and were invited to the district competition to set up displays and be judged by a panel of distinguished educators, administrators, and community members.
Jordan Hoffman, a past Ohio Invention Convention winner, Central High School alumni, and current University of Dayton student, was also on hand to judge, share her experience, offer advice to budding inventors, and assist at the awards ceremony. Last year’s state winner, Genoa seventh grader Lara Detrick, also spoke with the participants about her experiences as a young inventor.
Brian Gainer, a past Ohio Invention Convention participant and current student at Westerville North High School and Fort Hayes was also on hand to judge and share his experience as a trademark holder and inventor of a clothing line.
During lunch, the students spent time with guest speaker Casey McCarty, Assistant Director, Columbus Idea Foundry. They explored what it means to be creative and how to move forward with one’s inventive ideas.
At the awards ceremony, first through third place prizes were given to each grade level. Then, the top five overall inventions were named. Those five inventions and their inventors will move on to compete at the 18th annual Columbus Invention Convention, which will take place at Columbus State Community College on Saturday, May 17. They are:
- Kyra Freeman, Genoa, Arthur Gloves;
- Olivia Horlocker, Genoa, Thread Master Sew-Lou-Tion;
- Hanna Bova and Lauren Tucker, Genoa, Magnet Styler;
- Zack Glorioso Genoa, The Baggage Buddy; and
- Patrick Sullivan, Genoa, Arthur Gloves.
During the past 18 years, the Invention Convention (www.just-think-inc.com) has been awarding college scholarships, while teaching children invaluable problem-solving skills, building self esteem, and rewarding their creativity. Currently the State of Ohio is divided into three regions – Miami Valley, Cleveland, and Columbus. Past participants have appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, on Nickelodeon’s Figure it Out, on Maury Povich, and on local news programs. More than $300,000 in college scholarships has been given to date.