(The Morning News — Katie Harris) Debbie Cochrane, Elementary Gifted and Talented Facilitator for the Blackfoot School District, is just one of the teachers in the district who encouraged students to participate in the Invention Convention this year. Her class of second through fourth graders is pictured.
By KATIE HARRIS
BLACKFOOT – Great young minds in Idaho have been busy inventing and the ingenuity, creativity and hard work for students in the Blackfoot School District has been recognized. Sixth grader Lindsey Higginson won big at the state competition, receiving Best of Category in Jules Verne for all of the competing grade levels.“Lindsey invented the Stink Stick,” said Jennifer Cook, teacher at the Blackfoot Sixth Grade School. “The Jules Verne category means they have an idea, but maybe the technology is not available yet.”
“I got the idea because my mom would bring clothes to my room and they would end up on the floor,” said Higginson. “I thought a stink stick would make it easier to figure out what was dirty and what was clean.”Science teachers at BSGS require their students to participate. The grade-wide participation resulted in 11 students qualifying for state. Of the 11, five came back with awards. Debbie Cochrane, the elementary Gifted and Talented facilitator for the district involves her students in the competition, as do other elementary schools in the district that participate. The convention is open to any student in first through eighth grade. “Invention Convention is a very integrated approach to learning and it teaches them how to research,” said Cochrane. “It helps them become independent learners and requires a good amount of self evaluations. It really covers a lot. Even though it’s competitive, I view all the students as winners. There is no way to give prizes to everyone, but what they do receive by participating is a very valuable educational process.”Many students in Cochrane’s class excelled in the competition. Top placers among them at state were Haley Hawker and Colby Meline. Meline took top honors in the non-working model category for third and fourth graders with his Baby Proof DVD Case. Hawker placed second in the same category for her invention called The SAVER, a bank toy box requiring kids to “pay to play”.
Jacob Scheer, a fourth grader in Cochrane’s class said that by participating in Invention Convention this year he learned “to keep on trying and never give up.”Students that placed in Invent Idaho 2010 for the state of Idaho are:
Working Models, Grades 1-2 First Place: Abby Van Orden, RidgeCrest - OS Toilet Lid
Working Models, Grades 5-6Second Place: Courtney Yancey - Garden Guard
Non-Working Models, Grades 1-2 Second Place: Jean Marie Blackman Harlow, Stoddard - Tennis Ball Picker Upper
Non-Working Models, Grades 3-4First Place: Colby Meline, Stoddard - Baby Proof DVD Case Second Place: Haley Hawker, Stoddard - The SAVER
Non-Working Models, Grades 5-6Third Place: Chase Erickson, Blackfoot Sixth Grade - Safety Lift
Jules Verne, Grades 1-2First Place: Cassidy Jensen - The Dream Saver
Jules Verne, Grades 3-4Third Place: Jace Jorgensen, Stalker - Evergrow Shows
Games, Grades 3-4First Place: Hagen Moore, Wapello - Aquarium Bash
Best of Category Overall, Jules VerneLindsey Higginson, Blackfoot Sixth Grade - Stink Stick
Best of Category Overall, Games Ryan Day, Groveland - Spider Ramble
