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Ten CREC Students Compete in National Invention Convention
(Hartford, CT) Ten CREC students recently participated in the inaugural National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo.
The event, hosted by The STEMIE Coalition, was a celebration of student inventors and entrepreneurs throughout the country, and it was held in May at the U.S. Patent and Trade Office in Washington, D.C.
Students who competed in the National Invention Convention also participated in this year’s local Connecticut Invention Convention, which featured more than 800 students from 12 schools, and the 33rd annual statewide competition, which was held at UConn in Storrs. Students had to meet certain criteria to compete in the national event.
In Connecticut, the Invention Convention is for students in kindergarten through grade eight, and it is designed to develop, encourage, and enhance critical thinking skills through invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The 10 CREC students who participated in the National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo are:
Neeyor Devtale, a fourth grader at Glastonbury-East Hartford Magnet School from Glastonbury
Kayla Webster, a second grader at CREC’s Museum Academy from Hartford
Paige Grey, a seventh grader at CREC Two Rivers Magnet Middle School from Berlin
Alexander Jonsson, a seventh grader at CREC Two Rivers Magnet Middle School from East Hartford
Kyle Peck, a seventh grader at CREC Two Rivers Magnet Middle School from South Windsor
Preston McNulty-Socha, a fourth grader at CREC University of Hartford Magnet School from Hartford
Paul Mason Ricciardelli, a third grader at CREC University of Hartford Magnet School from New Britain
Koi Alika, a third grader at CREC University of Hartford Magnet School from Avon
Jonathan Bleck, a second grader at CREC University of Hartford Magnet School from Wethersfield
Michael Ciccarelli, a second grader at CREC University of Hartford Magnet School from Manchester
Of these students, five competed by video, and five traveled to the event in Washington, D.C., where they were able to interact with individuals who are committed to promoting innovation and inventiveness in young people, including representatives from companies like Microsoft, United Technologies Corporation, and The Lemelson Foundation.
The many CREC students who participated in all levels of the Invention Convention submitted creative, thoughtful projects, including projects like “Smart Grass,” “Braille Boards,” “The Doggie Helmet,” and “Feel Safe Hinge Helper.”
“The Invention Convention is a great hands-on, creative problem solving learning experience for students,” said Teresa Wilson, CREC’s elementary science curriculum specialist. “We are so proud of all of our students and their projects. They are our future, and they are learning how to think big and implement their ideas.”
