On April 25, 2020 over 100 students from across Chicago and its suburbs were honored for their problem-solving inventions during the 8th annual Chicago Student Invention Convention. The event was scheduled to take place at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois, but was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision allowed students, parents, and teachers, to receive recognition for inventions which had been in development since the beginning of the academic year. Invention judges convened online to score invention pitch videos submitted by students that showcased their hard work of invention despite school closures and remote learning.
The winners were announced through a virtual Awards Ceremony video. A recording can be viewed here.
On July 2, 2020, there were 49 winning inventors from the regional event invited to compete at the Invention Convention U.S. Nationals competition. The event typically takes place in Dearborn, Michigan, at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, but it was held virtually this year and hosted by Innovation Nation correspondent, Alie Ward. A recording can be viewed here.
Among the many honorees were two winners from the Chicago Student Invention Program.
Noah Hong took second place overall among seventh-graders for his invention The Good Breather. Noah also won The Lemelson Foundation’s “Community and Societal Benefit Award.” Millan Mallipedi, seventh grade, won the Black and Decker “Those Who Make the World” Award for his invention The UV Berry.
The Chicago Student Invention Convention (CSIC) is a featured program of the Chicago Innovation Foundation. Its regional K-8 invention education curricular program maps to Next Generation Science Standards and teaches students to identify and solve problems in their own lives, as well as fosters critical thinking and creativity skills that builds confidence in invention, innovation and entrepreneurship. To participate, students are required to be part of a registered and trained CSIC classrooms, and must submit a video presentation of their invention, a prototype, an inventor’s journal, and a poster board (or Encyclopedia Britannica LumieLabs video) that highlights key points of the invention process.
Prizes and opportunities this year included a pro bono patent award from law firm Thompson & Coburn LLP, online classes with Codeverse and Digital Adventures, and museum passes to the Museum of Science and Industry, the Adler Planetarium, and the Chicago History Museum.
49 Chicago-area students were honored at the regional convention, including:
Kindergarten-3rd Grade Winners:
Jack Cee, 1st place, The Four-Handed Glove, Andrew Jackson Language Academy
Toni Adegunsoye and Paxton Scott, 2nd place, PaxToni “Chox”: School Locker Chair and Box, Lenart Regional Gifted Center
Ella Wang, 3rd place, How to Be Calm? App, Chicago Youth Centers: Fellowship House
4th Grade Winners:
Abhi Majumdar, 1st place, VaccEraser, British International School of Chicago, Lincoln Park
Zahira Jimenez and Alexa Messier, 2nd place, Travel Brush, Pulaski International School Of Chicago
Rohan Rao and Gehrig Ray, 3rd place (tie), Kid’s Independence and Safety System, Pulaski International School Of Chicago
Colin Sherman and Wes Wieker, 3rd place (tie), Side Sleeper, Pulaski International School Of Chicago
5th Grade Winners:
Ansh Malhotra, 1st place, Charging Detector, Andrew Jackson Language Academy
Hugo Brugue-Hernando, 2nd place, The Magnetic Solution, Blaine Elementary
Rosmeri Landa and Rubi Rodriguez, 3rd place, Glasses Grabbers, Dr. Jorge Prieto Math Science Academy
6th Grade Winners:
Emma DeVoll, 1st place, Roll ‘N Shoot, St. Hubert Elementary
Katie Altman 2nd place, Heat No More, St. Hubert Elementary
Gael Diaz and Jeff Zavelsky, 3rd place, Shoe Blo 3000, Quest Academy
7th Grade Winners:
Siena Martorina, 1st place, The Pedestrian Wand, Ogden International School Of Chicago
Sofia Wang and Abigail Lee, 2nd place, Solar Scope, Quest Academy
Tuana Cavusoglu and Emma Wojdyla, 3rd place, The Handy Book, Quest Academy
8th Grade Winners:
Rhea Choksey and Nicole Magerkurth, 1st place, Strategic Pill Disposal Technician, Quest Academy
Florian Halimi and Aanya Sahu, 2nd place, Hydro Wheel, Quest Academy
Michael Frieri and Rohan Ganeshan, 3rd place, Enz-Essential, Quest Academy
Specialty Awards:
Noah Hong, After School Award, 1st, The Good Breather, Alexander Graham Bell
Ben Dorsey, After School Award, 2nd, The Bookmobile, Budlong Elementary
Kaelyn McColl, Computer Science Award, 1st, SeeLikeMe, Ogden International School Of Chicago
Ifeoma Okolo, Chukwuebuka Akujieze, Jose Gomez, Malia Johnson, Computer Science Award, 2nd, The Four Heartbeats Present: Visualize Your Heartbeat Tee, Chicago State University: PreP Program
Samantha Laskiewicz, Patent Award, The Fetch It, St. Hubert Elementary
For more information on the Chicago Student Invention Convention, visit chicagoinnovation.com/inventionconvention
For more information about the U.S. Nationals Invention Convention visit inventionconvention.org.
