The Connecticut Invention Convention has reached its 28th year. In this program, kids come up with an original invention to present to people at their school. Once school winners are chosen they go to compete at the state level. The whole program is run by volunteers, including President Honora Kenney.
This year Kenney spoke at Memorial Middle School to all the inventors. This was the first time she ever came to speak. She says that “CT is the state with the most patents”. I think that will continue to be true since kids are already working on many inventions of their own.
On April 5, students at Memorial Middle School showed off their inventions at the annual school invention convention. For quite some time sixth graders have been working to create an original invention. On the day of the convention the winners from each classroom presented their inventions to the judges. These judges are not teachers or people from the school, they come from outside the school.
This year at Memorial the judges were Middlefield First Selectman Jon Brayshaw, Board of Education member Bill Currlin, Lori Martin, an outdoor education specialist and Gregory Schroll. Mr. Schroll is an inventor and graduate of MIT. He invented the Ball-Shaped Robot. Mr. Schroll was honored with the Next Generation Award. They all take a very close look at everyone’s invention deciding which ones are good enough to compete at the state level.
The Judges chose 13 participants to move on to the state-wide competition on May 14,at UConn. The winners and their inventions are:
Josh Genest invented the “Ball Buster” which picks up baseballs without you having to bend over.
Nathan McDonald invented the “Painter Buddy” which shakes your can of spray paint before you use it, preventing any soreness in your arm.
Katelyn Richardson invented the “Button Up” which is a helmet and a neck warmer with Velcro that attach together. This keeps your neck warm and keeps the neck warmer from falling down.
Brittany Hall invented “Table Trash,” a table with a hole in the middle with a lid. Under this lid is a garbage can where you throw out all your food from eating. The garbage can then slides out for you to dump in a larger one.
Roweyn O’Connell invented the “Perfect Prop” which props your arm up when playing the flute so it doesn’t get tired.
Matt Woznyk invented the “Twirl a Whirl” which is a straw with a flat plastic piece on the end. You put the straw in your chocolate milk and twirl it between your hand and it will stir the chocolate for you while also being a straw.
Elle Rinaldi invented the “Car Pillow” which is a pillow that attaches to the window of your car by suction cups. This allows you to rest your head and go to sleep on car drives.
Lizzie Whitaker invented the “2-in-1 Magic Brush," a brush that also detangles your hair with spray at the same time. The spray comes out of the brush.
Hamilton Brayshaw invented the “Thermal Shovel” which is a heated shovel that you plug in to warm up before you go outside. Then once you’re ready to go out you unplug it and it will be warm as you shovel the cold snow.
Flynn Molkenthin invented the “Snake Shedder” which is a long plastic lining with brushes on it that attach to the edge of a snake cage. This is used while a snake is shedding. When a snake rubs against the brushes its shed skin will come off. This prevents the snake owner from having to peel the skin off themselves.
Brian Radzuinas invented the “DS/CW/SR," a case for your DS and a sun cover. This allows you to see the screen of your DS while sitting outside in the sun or in the car on a bright sunny day.
Skyler Morris invented the “Snap, Kick and Stay”, a blanket and sheet with buttons that snap together to prevent the blanket from falling off the bed. This was made for people who love to kick wildly at night and kick the covers off.
Abby Blair invented the “Universal Pen Cap”, a cap that will fit any size pen or marker. You no longer have to worry about losing a pen cap and finding that exact one that goes with that pen.
Good Luck!
