CHICAGO – April 7, 2018 – Student inventors from across the city in grades K-8 competed for top honors at the 6th annual Chicago Student Invention Convention. The event culminated a 10-week invention curriculum that was delivered to 3,000 students at 30 schools to encourage creativity, problem-solving, and innovation.
At an event attended by over 1,000 people at Westinghouse College Prep, finalists were identified to compete at the National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo, held at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan.
“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in this year’s great achievement,” said Mitch Hufnagel, Program Manager for the Chicago Student Invention Convention. “I commend all of our student winners for their tremendous prototypes and adherence to the Invention Process.”
2018 Chicago Student Invention Convention honorees included:
Founder’s Award
Anya Matthews from Chicago Collegiate Charter’s 6th grade for Medicode
Kindergarten – 2nd Grade
1st place: Ari Thompkins from Lenart’s Kindergarten for the Fizzy Hand
2nd place: Payton Sawyer from Lenart’s 1st grade for the Pj’s Trash Purse
3rd place: Mya McGee and Nia McGee rom Lenart’s Kindergarten for the Pretty Organizer
Honorable Mention: Josiah Swanson from Andrew Jackson Language Academy’s 2nd grade for the Lego Vacuum 3000
Honorable Mention: Emmett Byrley from Sunder Montessori’s 2nd grade for The Dog Stopinator
Honorable Mention: Ella Zheng from Lenart’s Kindergarten for the Claw
Honorable Mention: Japaul Williams from Suder Montessori’s 2nd grade for the Toy Soap
3rd Grade
1st place: Ahser Lutarewych from Skinner West for the Hockey Jockey
2nd place: Emika Matsumara from Skinner West for the Perpetualight
3rd place: Sophia Kunkle from Skinner West for Hair’s Everything
Honorable Mention: Katie Burke from Skinner West for the Healthy Hound
Honorable Mention: Ansh Malhotra from Andrew Jackson Language Academy for the De-Icer Snowbrush
Honorable Mention: Ethan Tucker from Skinner West for The Spongeboard
Honorable Mention: Gianni McGhee from Skinner West for The Bunion Straightener 2.0
4th Grade
1st place: Elias Benjamin and Leonardo Orejarena from Pulaski for the Car-eater
2nd place: Sasha Ayers and Summer Danek from Pulaski for the Snow to Water
3rd place: Haylee Carballo and Joariel Arrieta from Pulski for the Solar Charger 9000
Honorable Mention: Marija Stanojevic from St. Sava Academy for the Help Belt
Honorable Mention: Allisson Martinez and Deciember Ellis from Jungman Elementary for the wet-B-GONE
Honorable Mention: Daisy Hebert from Suder Montessori for the Ice Guys
Honorable Mention: Enaya Luna and Ja’Kyra Rodgers from Marquette School of Excellence for the Baby pacifier toy
5th Grade
1st place: Vivian Chanquin from Suder Montessori for the Medi Cup
2nd place: Sofia Daley and Sophia Hall from Lenart for the Water Watchers
3rd place: Fatima Gonzalez and Itzel Rodriguez from Prieto Math & Science Academy for The AutoBloom
Honorable Mention: Imogen James-Downie from Lenart for the SHELBY
Honorable Mention: Jessica Wong and Layla Campbell from James Ward Elementary for The Relaxer
Honorable Mention: Angel Orozco and Elijah Medrano from Prieto Math & Science Academy for the Moon Goggles
Honorable Mention: Dulce Gutierrez and Fernanda Villasenor from Prieto Math & Science Academy for The DF Remote
6th Grade
1st place: Ada Liberzon and Sophia Silvercase from Nettelhorst Elementary for the Don’t Stop Til the Last Drop-The No Waste Shampoo Bottle
2nd place: Henry Comerford from Beaubien Elementary for the Helping Handle
3rd place: Nadia Wieda and Noah Sosa-Nunez from Nettelhorst Elementary for the Fidget Case
Honorable Mention: Gaoxin Tan and Matthew Zhang from James Ward Elementary for the Water Guard
Honorable Mention: Eden Naiditch and Ryan Ellis from Andrew Jackson Language Academy for the Solar Polar Pullover
Honorable Mention: Zahari Allen from Suder Montessori for the Kabob Master
Honorable Mention: Ariana Silerstein from Nettelhorst Elementary for The dog shower
7th Grade
1st place: Mia Rogowski and Nina Figurelli from Sauganash Elementary for the Rotisserie Chicken Maker
2nd place: Iyana Klimczak from Marquette School of Excellence for the Pig No More
3rd place: Balezka Ramos and Marianette Diaz from Prieto Math & Science Academy for the All Brush
Honorable Mention: Faith Townsall from Suder Montessori for the Desk Guard
Honorable Mention: Chloe Gray and Mandy Huynh from James Ward Elementary for the Stub Be Gone
Honorable Mention: David Ma and Peter Guan from James Ward Elementary for the Ultimacup
Honorable Mention: Oscar Fuentes from Marquette School of Excelence for the Left Guard
8th Grade
1st place: Ian Washington and Syed Qasim from Mary Gage Peterson for the SYAN Filter
2nd place: Sophia Rebolledo from Andrew Jackson Language Academy for the Lights On- Bacteria Out!
3rd place: Hiba Adil and Jennifer Tran from Mary Gage Peterson for the E-Z Glider Bookmark
Honorable Mention: Fatima Khan and Shajia Gantiwala from Mary Gage Peterson for the QuickFlip
Honorable Mention: Claire Wennink and Livia Platt from Nettelhorst Elementary for the E-Z Wheelz Terrarium
Honorable Mention: Anjali Prabhakar and Krishna Prabhakar from Andrew Jackson Language Academy for the Warm Welcome
Honorable Mention: Alondra Tellez and Jaeden Ellasus from Mary Gage Peterson for the AutoMop
Overall Winners
1st place: Juan Arriaga and Nicolas Tarrat from Jungman Elementary’s 4th grade for the Pop-Up Shelter
2nd place: Elvin Rodriguez from Pulaski’s 4th grade for the H2O Power Purifier
3rd place: Sophia Gallardo from Lenart’s 4th grade for the EZ Screen
National Finalists
Nicholas Tarrat and Juan Arriaga from Jungman Elementary’s 4th grade for the Pop-Up Shelter
Elvin Rodriguez from Pulaski’s 4th grade for the H2O Power Purifier
Sophia Gallardo from Lenart’s 4th grade for the EZ Screen
Elias Benjamin and Leonardo Orejarena from Pulaski’s 4th grade for the Car-eater
Vivian Chanquin from Suder Montessori’s 4th grade for the Medi Cup
Syed Qasim and Ian Washington from Mary Gage Peterson’s 4th grade for the SYAN Filter
Asher Lutarewych from Skinner West’s 3rd grade for the Hockey Jockey
Sophia Silvercase and Ada Liberzon from Nettelhorst Elementary’s 6th grade for the Don’t Stop Til the Last Drop-The No Waste Shampoo Bottle
Sasha Ayers and Summer Danek from Pulaski’s 4th grade for the Snow to Water
Sophia Hall and Sofia Daley from Lenart’s 5th grade for the Water Watchers
Emika Matsumara from Skinner West’s 3rd grade for the Perpetualight
Sophia Rebolledo from Andrew Jackson Language Academy’s 8th grade for the Lights On- Bacteria Out!
Sophia Kunkle from Skinner West’s 3rd grade for the Hair’s Everything
Ari Thompkins from Lenart’s Kindergarten for the Fizzy Hand
Hiba Adil and Jennifer Tran from Mary Gage Peterson’s 8th grade for the E-Z Glider Bookmark
Shajia Gantiwala and Fatima Khan from Mary Gage Peterson’s 8th grade for the QuickFlip
Peyton Sawyer from Lenart’s 1st grade for the Pj’s Trash Purse
Marija Stanojevic from St. Sava’s 4th grade for the Help Belt
Joraiel Arrieta and Haylee Carballo from Pulaski’s 4th grade for the Solar Charger 9000
Henry Comerford from Beaubien Elementary’s 6th grade for the Helping Handle
Fatima Gonzalez and Itzel Rodriguez from Prieto Math and Science Academy’s 5th grade for The AutoBloom
Imogen James-Downey from Lenart’s 5th grade for the SHELBY
About Chicago Innovation
Chicago Innovation was established in 2002 as the Chicago Innovation Awards, an annual ceremony to celebrate the most innovative products and services in the Chicago region. The organization has evolved into a year-round series of events and activities designed to educate, connect and celebrate innovators in the Chicago region. The organization’s expansion includes the Chicago Student Invention Convention to empower Chicago’s youth to be innovators, the Chicago Innovation Women Mentoring Co-op to support female innovators, a Corporate Match-Making program to connect large corporations with emerging start- ups, an Innovation MBA in partnership with IIT that offers real-world experiential learning and $10,000 scholarships, the Chicago Neighborhood Awards to promote innovation in Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods, and the Winners Connection to support the growth of Chicago Innovation Award Winners. For more information, visit chicagoinnovat.wpengine.com. To follow Chicago Innovation on social media, find it on Twitter (@Chi_Innovation) or Facebook (Chicago Innovation).