CLARKSVILLE — Thirty-five Clinton-Massie Elementary and Middle School students took their first steps in joining the ranks of fellow Ohio inventors Harry Stevens, who invented the hotdog in 1900; the Wright Brothers — the airplane in 1903; Clarence Crane — Life Savers in 1912; and Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, who invented Superman in 1933.
The Invention League called upon students in grades K-8 to unmask their superpowers and learn to seek out problems, find solutions, develop a prototype of the best solution, and then take their invention to the next level as a new entrepreneur.
Students showcased their inventions and competed with their peers on a local level in hopes of being named a top inventor and qualifying to advance to the state finals hosted by the Invention League, where they are eligible to win educational scholarships and other prizes.
Gifted intervention specialist Jill Binau found the Invention Convention students’ creativity, determination, problem-solving skills, sense of wonder, and imagination inspiring.
“Their inventions were clever, well researched and masterfully presented,” said Binau. “I look forward to next year, and I am thrilled that we will need to host it in an even larger location!”
Individual inventors at the elementary level included Jenny Anderson, Malea Beam, Leah Binau, AJ Brewer, Aaron Byer, Treygen Byington, Andy Davila, Carrick Denehy, Seth Dixon, Emma Fouch, Nicholas Hanlon, Austin Hurley, Andrew Jones, Will McCarty, Edwin Molitor, Daniel Norman, Ellie Smith, Arius Taylor, Izzy Tewksbury, Ella Thompson, Emily Webb, and Liam Whittamore.
Team inventors included Claire Binau and Kenzie Wahsum, Gracie Boone and Addison Swope, Owen Goodwin and Landon Manis, and Danny Mefford and Trent Bennett.
Individual inventors at the middle school level included Alyssa Hubbard, Trayden Schumacher, Ben Smith, Pearl Spurlock.
Team inventors include Joe Baughman and Corbin Ruth, Jenna Hanlon and Kaden Kimple, Kaley Koch and Brittany Shockley, Isabel Majdoch and Abby Schneider, and Lauren Potts and Travis Smith.
And, top Inventors from the Clinton-Massie District-Level Invention Convention included second grader Will McCarty, third graders Danny Mefford and Trent Bennett, and eighth grader Pearl Spurlock.
Top inventors and additional selected students invited to submit a video for state qualification include Malea Beam, Claire Binau, Leah Binau, AJ Brewer, Nicholas Hanlon, Edwin Molitor, Ben Smith, and Pearl Spurlock. Team inventers include Joe Baughman and Corbin Ruth, Jenna Hanlon and Kaden Kimple, Kaley Koch and Brittany Shockley, Isabel Majdoch and Abby Schneider, and Ella Thompson, Kenzie Wahsum.
The State of Ohio Invention Convention & Entrepreneurship Competition will be July 30 at the Ohio State Fair. The National Competition will take place at the National Invention Convention & Entrepreneurship Expo Jun 1-3 in Washington, D.C.
Working behind the scenes to organize the local event were Gifted Intervention Specialists Jill Binau and Jen Molitor, and Coordinator of Gifted Services with the Southern Ohio ESC Curt Bradshaw.
“It was such a pleasure to experience the excitement of each young inventor’s journey,” said Bradshaw. “We are very proud of each of the inventors and their perseverance throughout the invention process. The students worked hard to seek out problems that impact the world, identify possible solutions, build their best solutions into prototypes, and clearly articulate the problem, solution, and marketability of their inventions.
“Problem-solving truly is their superpower!”
Information for this article was provided by Diana Miller, who coordinates communications for several area schools.
