A seventh grader won best in show at an Invention Convention as students from a Tucson charter school showcased creations to fix problems meaningful to them.
The idea behind Carden of Tucson student Macy Sibley’s winning Needle Point clothing design for diabetics is to have patches or zippers in strategic locations that would allow people to give themselves sanitary injections of insulin, instead of having to administer medication through clothing.
The invention was personal for Sibley, who is diabetic, and that’s often how the best inventions come about, said Bri Livingood, a teacher who organized Carden’s Invention Convention held at Tucson Mall.
“When you are really passionate about something and it directly affects you, you just own it,” Livingood said.
Another student, Noah Belanger, channeled his love for rock climbing into his invention. Belanger, a sixth grader, created an electric brush, the Beta Brush, to clean off handholds and footholds, allowing for better grip.
“He partnered with his rock climbing gym, Rock Solid, and had his climbing team test it there,” Livingood said.
While there were plenty of niche creations, some of the inventions were meant for a broader audience.
First grader Anthony Gonzalez’s submission, the Pooper Scooper 2.0, was thought up with dog owners in mind. With a bag and flashlight attached to make it easier and less messy to scoop, the Pooper Scooper 2.0 even has its own slogan: “Dogs poop it, you scoop it.”
The event culminated a yearlong curriculum at Carden that teaches students to find creative ways to solve problems and develop critical thinking skills, through learning about invention and entrepreneurship.
Parents and families gather for the first Invention Convention with students from Carden of Tucson at CATALYST in Tucson Mall on April 20. “Invention Education is the most empowering and inclusive STEM program available to elementary and middle school students today. Not only are students able to identify a meaningful the problem, but they invent a solution and build a brighter future for themselves and those around them,” said Bri Livingood, Assistant Director, and STEM Director of Carden of Tucson.
Invention education teaches students how inventors find and solve problems. InventEd, a Lemelson Foundation initiative that supports the teaching, says students who participate become more engaged in their learning, more inclusive in their thinking, and are better prepared for a future of uncertainty and rapid change.
Carden is the first school in Arizona to teach invention education, which has demonstrated success in other states and internationally, at every grade level.
Sixty students from kindergarten through eighth grades participated in the school’s Invention Convention at the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance’s CATALYST Arts and Maker Space in Tucson Mall.
Thirty-five judges hailing from across the country evaluated students’ work in a wide range of subjects.
Livingood, a Carden assistant director and middle school teacher, cast a wide net when looking for expert judges. Judges included representatives from Invention Convention Worldwide, The Henry Ford Museum, The Lemelson Foundation, MIT, Raytheon, the U.S. Air Force, the University of Arizona and the Tucson community.
Inventions were judged based on category, which included agriculture and food; animal care and pets; consumer goods and fashion; earth and sustainability; education; energy; health and medical; home organization and appliances; manufacturing and tools; safety; sports, games and toys; and transportation.
Thirty-two of the 60 participating students received awards, sponsored by Mordka Realty. Prizes included STEM kits and other related items, with the grand prize winners receiving $50 Visa gift cards.
Invention Convention curriculum uses a framework that follows seven steps of the invention process, introducing students to entrepreneurial concepts so they’ll think beyond the invention process. They complete step-by-step lessons to develop an invention that is original, well-constructed and solves a real-world problem.
Livingood brought invention education to Carden three years ago, with the idea of expanding its reach in Southern Arizona and across the state.
That idea is becoming a reality, as Vail Unified District’s Rincon Vista elementary will offer invention education as an elective in the fall.
The goal is to have Rincon Vista take part in Invention Convention next year, Livingood said, adding that organizers also hope to include two more schools.
Rincon Vista “has an entrepreneurship class and a digital marketing class that will help support their inventors,” she said. “The goal is that we can get their kids to come over and use our invention space … and hopefully our kids can go over there and use some resources.”
Watch now: Invention education teaches the ways inventors find and solve problems. Students use their inventiveness to try to fix a problem that affects someone in their life. Carden of Tucson is the only school in Arizona to teach invention education in every grade. Video by Caitlin Schmidt, Arizona Daily Star
