Showcasing Innovation: INL and Idaho Invention Convention team up for regional competition
Idaho National Laboratory has partnered with Idaho Invention Convention, the premier student invention program in the U.S. Northwest, to host an eastern Idaho Regional Invention Convention.
Elementary and middle school students from eastern Idaho are eligible to enter their creations individually or in teams in five invention categories, while high school students can enter their inventions in the high school division. Winning projects from the regional convention are eligible for the state competition in Moscow in March. State winners exhibit nationally in Dearborn, Michigan, in June.
In addition to encouraging creativity and innovation, the Invent Idaho program addresses state science standards and emphasizes the hands-on application of STEM principles in students’ inventions.
“It’s important to encourage innovation and creative problem-solving in students beginning at an early age,” said Jennifer Jackson, INL’s K-12 Education Enrichment Program manager. “We believe that some of the best STEM learning happens outside of the classroom and we are excited to see and to foster the wealth of STEM talent that is being developed here in our own backyard.”
East Idaho’s Invention Convention will be held on Saturday, Feb. 8, at the College of Eastern Idaho Training Center, 3950 S. Yellowstone Highway, Suite 200, in Idaho Falls. While walk-in projects will not be accepted, the public is encouraged to visit “show and tell” time from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. to view all submitted inventions. An awards ceremony will follow.
For more information on award categories and project requirements, visit inventidaho.com.
