MINNESOTA STUDENT INVENTORS CONGRESS

Area Inventors Perform Well at Regional Fair
By Melanie Schmidt

Student inventors from the Mankato region gathered at the Madison East Mall in Mankato on April 26 to showcase their work for judges, parents, community members and teachers.

Fifty-seven inventors participated from Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Elementary, Sibley East, LeSueur Park Elementary, and Mankato Area Public Schools. As the young inventors anxiously told their story to a panel of community judges from Mankato and St. Peter, it was clear these youngsters were serious about their craft! Schools begin the invention unit in early winter. In many districts, children participate in a local or school fair where inventions are judged and students are encouraged to participate in the regional fair in Mankato.

Once in Mankato, all entries are judged with the goal of recommending the strongest inventions for display at the Minnesota Inventors Congress held in Redwood Falls in June. Minnesota Inventors Congress is a non-competitive event where student and adult inventors from around the state gather to share their work. In addition to our panel of judges, the students themselves also got a chance to vote for their favorite invention! “Kid’s Choice,” is the portion of the competition where the student inventors cast their vote for their favorite invention. Winners of the Kid’s Choice Award also advance on to Redwood Falls. This year’s Kid’s Choice Winners are: Gillian Ingebritson—Blinkie Blankets, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial and Michael Templin—Fore Reel, Sibley East (Gaylord/Arlington)—Michael was selected by our panel of judges as well as by his peers earning two invitations to Redwood Falls.

Plans are currently underway for the 2009 regional event to be held in Mankato in late April. For more information on how you can get involved in Minnesota Student Inventors Congress, contact Melanie Schmidt, Regional Coordinator at 507-317-5386.

The following students were selected by our panel of community volunteers to attend the Redwood Falls Inventors Congress on June 13 and 14.

	Inventor	Project Name/Title	School
	Grant Becker	Heli–Spinner	Park Elementary (Le Sueur)
	Riona Ryan	Hayfever 2000	Bridges Elementary (Mankato)
	Courtney Hildebrandt/Hannah Royce	Popcorn Bucket	Sibley East (Gaylord/Arlington)
	Maggie Burneske	Medi Minder	Bridges Elementary (Mankato)
	Carly Bening/Anna Woehler	Shower Trio	Sibley East (Gaylord Arlington)
	Dylan Aydt/Bill Chadwick	Wii Case–O-Matic	Park Elementary (Le Sueur)
	Elizabeth Ann Stinson	Pet Food Simplifier	Bridges Elementary (Mankato)