Three Michigan Teams Heading to National Invention Convention on June 1 at The Henry Ford
DEARBORN, Mich (PRWEB) March 29, 2018 -- On Monday, March 19, more than 100 students from Southeastern Michigan competed at the first-ever Michigan Invention Convention at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Winners moving on to the National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurial Expo (NICEE) at The Henry Ford on June 1 include, the Parkview Elementary team of Brady Doyle, Daniel Keck and Jaxson Oliver for iSleep Smart, Skyline High School students Tej Bergin and Chase Colligan for their portable water source, and grand-prize winners from Skyline High School, Akhil Arora and Sara Whybark, for their wristband for the deaf and law enforcement.
“The projects the students presented were incredibly inspiring, offering solutions to problems they have faced or overall challenges we see every day,” said Lucie Howell, director of learning and engagement at The Henry Ford. “We are looking forward to growing this program and giving more students across the state a chance to show their innovations.”
The Michigan Invention Convention provided a live, interactive opportunity for youth inventors and entrepreneurs, 3rd-12th grade, to display their critical thinking and entrepreneurial skills. Students had the chance to showcase their inventions/products and pitch directly to a group of judges. Competition was broken down into age brackets based on the national competition rules, with one grand prize winner selected. Judges selected winners based on the project’s process, solution, impact and presentation. Based on this year’s entries, two high school teams and one elementary school team will be moving on to the national competition.
Akhil Arora and Sara Whybark’s grand-prize winning wristband was designed as a communication device between deaf and hard of hearing individuals and law enforcement. Through vibrations and flashing lights, the wristband would allow the individual to know that police or emergency vehicles are nearby and indicate to first responders that the wearer is a person who is deaf or a hard of hearing. Skyline High School’s Teg Bergin and Chase Colligan were inspired to create their portable water source after a hiking trip when they ran out of water and created a prototype of a backpack that works as a re-humidifier and filtration system. Their invention pulls moisture from the air (like a dehumidifier) and then filters the water to make it drinkable. Parkview Elementary school winners, Brady Doyle, Daniel Keck and Jaxson Oliver created the “smart” pillow, iSleep Smart, that contains heating and cooling elements, soothing lavender scents along with connectivity to your phone to ask questions like “what time is it?” or “what’s the weather like?”.
The Michigan Invention Convention is a space for the Michigan STEM community to celebrate and be inspired by inventors and entrepreneurs of all ages, backgrounds and disciplines. The event was supported by a Comerica Charitable Foundation grant.
About The Henry Ford
The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan is an internationally-recognized history destination that explores the American experience of innovation, resourcefulness, and ingenuity that helped shape America. A national historic landmark with an unparalleled Archive of American Innovation, The Henry Ford is a force for sparking curiosity and inspiring tomorrow’s innovators. More than 1.77 million visitors annually experience its five attractions: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience. A continually expanding array of content available online provides anytime, anywhere access. The Henry Ford is also home to Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school which educates over 500 students a year on the institution’s campus. In 2014, The Henry Ford premiered its first-ever national television series, The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation, showcasing present-day change-makers and The Henry Ford’s artifacts and unique visitor experiences. Hosted by news correspondent and humorist, Mo Rocca, this Emmy®-winning weekly half-hour show airs Saturday mornings on CBS. For more information please visit our website thehenryford.org.
Melissa Foster, The Henry Ford, +1 (313) 982-6126, [email protected]
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