The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Student wins Invention Convention award
Chloe Simoes honored for ‘ingenuity’ by creating music stand for multiple pages
THOMASTON — Sixthgrader Chloe Simoes was honored recently for her ingenuity at the fifth annual Invention Convention U.S. Nationals, which was presented by Raytheon Technologies. The students were among nearly 500 awardwinning K-12 inventors from across the nation who were celebrated at a virtual awards ceremony held on July 2, according to a statement.
Simoes won the Household Organization and Appliances Award for her invention, BaRs.
“My invention solves the problem of music falling off the stand,” she said, explaining why she developed her project. “By using an elastic band called a ‘Bunchie’ I can hold one to two sheets of music on the stand, but this only good for people who don’t have a lot of music sheets to play with. But if you need a five page song you will need a ‘Ringer’. A ‘Ringer’ holds the music in a three ring binder rings and a metal sheet you put the metal sheet on the back and the rings on the front and voila! You now have a way to hold three to 20 sheets of music on the stand.”
Watch Simoes’ video at rb.gy/aznyjv.
Invention Convention Worldwide is a global K-12 invention education curricular program mapped to national and state educational standards that teaches students problem-identification, problem-solving, entrepreneurship and creativity skills and builds confidence in invention, innovation and entrepreneurship for life. More than 120,000 K-12 inventors from across the United States competed at local affiliate events (Connecticut Invention Convention) for a chance to participate in the Invention Convention 2020 U.S. Nationals.
“While many things have been disrupted due to the pandemic, innovation and invention continue and are needed now more than ever,” said Patricia Mooradian, president and CEO, The Henry Ford, in a statement. “We need to move forward, to create, to problem-solve and with programs like Invention Convention, we are seeing our young people, our young innovators and inventors, lead the way.”
“Ingenuity and agility are being demonstrated by students around the world. Seeing this year’s convention — and its participants — shift their inventive spirit and excel in this virtual showcase is heartening,” said Randy Bumps, executive director, Corporate Social Responsibility, Raytheon Technologies, in the statement. “We hope that our support of programs like Invention Convention will continue to encourage student problem-solving, next-generation innovations and a passion for lifelong learning.”
Prizes and opportunities this year include pro-bono patent awards from law firms including Wilmerhale, Cooley and Cantor Colburn, professional prototyping assistance from design firms like IDEAZ, and invention experiences with partners like Koch Industries, where students can visit with marketers, product designers, and engineers to help advance their inventions to the next stage.
The mission of Invention Convention Worldwide is to bring Invention Education to every student everywhere. Organizations interested in bringing the year-long program to their region can get more information at www.inventionconvention.org.
Located in Dearborn,
Michigan, The Henry Ford, a globally recognized destination, fosters inspiration and learning from hands-on encounters with artifacts that represent the most comprehensive collection anywhere focusing on innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness in America. Its unique venues include Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school. Together with its online presence at thehenryford.org, its national television series, The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation and Invention Convention Worldwide, the growing affiliation of organizations fostering innovation, invention and entrepreneurship in K-12 students, The Henry Ford inspires individuals to unlock their potential and help shape a better future.
Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. With 195,000 employees and four industry-leading businesses — Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense — the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics, and quantum physics. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.