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<\/a><\/span>On May 4, more than 600 young inventors converged on Gampel Pavilion, the home of UConn\u2019s eight-time NCAA women\u2019s basketball team, for the 30th<\/sup> annual state-wide Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC) hosted by UConn\u2019s School of Engineering. See a previous story here<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\nExcitement, energy and pride were abundant as the children \u2013 accompanied by parents and teachers \u2013came to campus to unveil, before teams of evaluators, the inventions they brainstormed, documented and built. These were the students selected at school competitions to represent their schools and peers.<\/p>\n
In celebration of the program\u2019s 30th<\/sup> anniversary, the founders were recognized, special honors awarded, and speakers addressed the assembly.\u00a0 Among the most memorable remarks were those of Interim Dean of Engineering, Dr. Kazem Kazerounian, who described a recent visit with his brothers, both deaf, during which he attempted to explain the purpose of the Connecticut Invention Convention.\u00a0 As he struggled to describe \u201cinventor,\u201d one of his siblings finally understood and offered the proper sign. Placing the tip of a thumb against the forehead, with fingers aligned vertically, one launches the hand skyward with fingers outstretched to signify \u201cfrom my mind to the world,\u201d he explained. The sign was quickly adopted by hundreds in the audience and repeated as a salute seen throughout the day.<\/p>\n Another poignant moment came with a special award presented to teacher Thomas Doyle, who has mentored young inventors in two different schools across 2 \u201cHe is definitely the one who inspired me to lead the invention convention at my school. I have such fond memories of being a part of it, that I wanted the students at my school now to have the opportunity to create memories like that of their own.\u00a0 To dedicate 27 years to the Invention Convention is so inspiring. I hope that I can make an impact on my students the way he made an impact on me.\u201d<\/p>\n Heather recalls her first invention demonstrated at CIC was the \u201chomework wheel,\u201d a small wheel made from a fastener and two circles, one of which offered the options, Take Home or Leave at School.\u00a0 She explains the wheel could be attached to notebooks or textbooks throughout the school day to help a student quickly decide which items needed to be transported home to avoid missed homework.<\/p>\n Veteran CIC leader Tom Doyle currently teaches at the Judson School, which serves grades 3-5. He notes that the award was completely unexpected, and he deemed it \u201creally fantastic\u201d to be recognized for his long-standing commitment to the CIC learning program.\u00a0<\/p>\n He expressed great appreciation to Heather, saying “I am so grateful and appreciative to Heather for her kind sentiments in terms of her experience as a student participating in the program at Baldwin School. Heather is an excellent young educator and I’m proud to have had such a positive influence on her that she has made it her mission to keep the program alive at her school.”<\/p>\n \u201cIn the early years, the invention convention was much smaller; it has grown enormously over the 27 years I\u2019ve been teaching it,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ve always tried to embrace all of the students who are interested in participating, not just the gifted\/talented students. I think it\u2019s a very good program; it gets away from the traditional curriculum, where there are correct answers, and lets kids use their creativity and think outside the box.\u201d<\/p>\n Making the process exciting and fun, while imparting the lesson that the process of invention sometimes doesn\u2019t go as planned, are important elements he strives to convey as a CIC leader at his school.\u00a0 Tom remarks that he uses science games or occasionally dons a lab coat to portray a \u201cwacky professor\u201d to keep the students engaged.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Inventor to Teacher<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Another teacher who has experienced the CIC in both roles is grade 5-6 science instructor Gina Burnham. As a sixth grader, she watched as her baby sister struggled to crawl across a hardwood floor and decided to solve the problem by designing toddler-sized pants outfitted with rubber on the knees (dubbed Kneekers), which she demonstrated at the state-wide convention.\u00a0 From that point on, she was hooked.<\/p>\n<\/a>7 years. \u00a0The award was presented by Polk Elementary teacher Heather Murphy who, as a grade 3-4 student, was mentored by Mr. Doyle as her CIC leader.<\/p>\n