Invention Convention

About

The Invention Convention provides students in grades 3rd-12th an interactive and interdisciplinary opportunity to use the invention process to create and pitch an original invention project, such as an improvement or a product.

Through Invention Convention, students are introduced to a world in which they will solve their own problems and gain the confidence and 21st-century skills to invent their own future. The STEM + Invention + Entrepreneurship (STEMIE) experiential learning program offers hands-on, real-world, project-based learning activities.

Regional competition | Wayne County

The Regional competition for Wayne County provides ongoing support to educators throughout the journey guiding their students through the invention process in the weeks and months leading up to the competition series every spring.

Starting in the fall, educators work with their students through the invention process and prepare them to compete at the regional hub competition in March/April held at Wayne State University. Educators continue to support their students should they advance from the regional level (April), to the state level (May), and subsequent national level (June). Resources and support for educators include optional curriculum that is grade-range specific and print-ready, guidance on delivering STEM activities, materials needed to help students develop their inventions, and or technical support with students' pitch videos.

How it works

Under the guidance of an educator, students work independently on an individual project or they work in groups of up to four students on a team project. All students on a team project must be in the same grade range. 

Students are eligible to compete at the regional hub level once their Educator registers. Educators will help their students submit their online pitch videos when registration opens for the regional hub competition. All remaining requirements will be brought in-person to the regional hub competition

Qualifying inventions awarded as the top projects at our regional hub competition will advance to compete at the state competition. The top projects from the state competition will advance to compete at U.S. Nationals. 

The judges' scoring rubric will be shared at a later date so students can learn how they will be scored at the regional level.

Grade groupings

One to four students per invention. Students working together on a project must be within the same grade range.

• K-2nd grade * does not qualify to compete at state level
• 3rd-5th grade
• 6th-8th grade
• 9th-12th grade

Regional hub award categories

The top projects in the following grade ranges will be awarded at the regional hub level, and will advance to the state level competition held at The Henry Ford. 

• Grades K-2 *may participate in the Wayne County Hub but will not be eligible to advance to the state or national levels
• Grades 3-5
• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12
• Top project overall (all grades)

Student invention requirements

 

1. Prototype (one per project) - demonstrating how the invention will function (prototype does not need to "work", as long as students display its purpose visually). 
2. Logbook (one per project) - documenting the invention process. The log book will be shared here later.
3. Display board (one per project) - recapping the invention process, key findings, and shows their invention's purpose/solution to a problem.
4. Presentation (one per project) - to be delivered in-person at the Regional Hub competition, along with a Q&A from judges (all team members must participate).
5. Recorded pitch video (one per project) - 4-6-minutes in length, with help from educators, showing the student(s) presenting their invention prototype for judging. Video must be unedited and submitted by the deadline to be judged prior to the competition.  

Competition series timeline

(September - January) Educators register to reserve space for students in the regional hub competition
Educators complete the registration form to announce their participation and list their rough estimate number of students who will compete

(October - March) Educators guide their students through learning the invention process

(Early March) Regional student registration period
Educators help their students register and upload recorded pitch videos to be scored online by judges prior to the in-person competition

(Mid-March) Regional pitch videos judging period
Judges review and score the student pitch videos online prior to the in-person competition

(Mid-March) Regional finals competitors are announced
Students who qualify (based on pitch video scores) will be notified via email and are invited to bring their invention project requirements in-person to compete at the regional competition

(Early April) Regional competition & awards ceremony In-person at Wayne State University*
Qualifying students will bring their invention project requirements in-person to the regional competition to be reviewed and scored by judges at Wayne State University*; the top scoring projects that will advance to compete at the state level are announced and awarded on this day

(Early May) State competition In-person at The Henry Ford*

(June) National competition In-person at The Henry Ford*

*Details are subject to change as per the condition of public and community health, etc. 

Judges and educators

2025 judge and educator registration information will be shared in fall of 2024.

Contact

For more information, please contact Jasmine Roberson. 

If your school district is not within Wayne County, and you would like more information, please reach out to Invention Convention Michigan.

Sponsored by The Henry Ford