| A lot of times, kids wanted to quit; they couldn't see the end. And that's one thing about engineering, it takes awhile to see an end and I think the Odyssey capped it off really nicely to show them there's a neat platform for them to stand on and be proud of at the end. I'd say that is the key to the whole program.
David Gundale, Johnson High School InvenTeam teacher (2006)
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Through invention projects, students have explored scientific and engineering concepts such as solar power, thermodynamics, and materials processing.
Inventing for Their Communities
Building solutions by hand, many InvenTeams have worked with the potential beneficiaries of their inventions. For example, alignments have included the Gulliver Preparatory InvenTeam and the Transportation Security Administration to design the easy to inspect Time Traveler luggage; the Linn-Mar InvenTeam and Mandy, a young woman with disabilities, to create an assistive robotic device to help her complete her job tasks at a bulk mailing facility; and the North Miami Beach Senior High School InvenTeam and its elderly community to invent the Bath-O-Lift, a device to help elderly people get in and out of the bath/shower easily.
"I really enjoyed this project. It taught me to be patient. It taught me to develop an idea and work with people well to voice my ideas and opinions."
Will Anderson, Johnson High School InvenTeam student (2006)
Community Partnerships
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Johnson High School InvenTeam (2006)
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In addition to collaborating with beneficiaries, many InvenTeams have joined with partners in their communities to further enhance their invention projects in myriad ways.
Past partnerships include:
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Simms High School InvenTeam (2006)
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After the Grant Period
Some students and InvenTeams have also pursued intellectual property protection. The Germantown Academy InvenTeam has filed provisional patents for its barcode-to-voice device and a subsequent RFID technology that stemmed from their InvenTeams project. Likewise, the Agawam High School InvenTeam (2004) filed for a provisional patent for its pothole prediction and filling technology.
Many InvenTeams have also continued work on their projects post-grant period. The Littleton High School InvenTeam (2003) succeeded in installing its heating system below the sidewalks of the high school's entrance to melt snow and ice during the trepid winter months. Other InvenTeams teachers and students have sustained a culture of invention by initiating clubs or new invention projects at their schools. Dr. Barbara Rothstein, North Miami Beach Senior High School InvenTeam teacher (2004), sparked a new idea, and gathered her students to join again to develop life-skills board games for children with disabilities.
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