Students Earn National Titles at Invention Convention

DOT ORG EVERY YEAR A COMPETITION IS HELD THAT BRINGS TOGETHER SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST MINDS OF TOMORROW. THE INVENTION CONVENTION UNITE STUDENTS FROM KINDERGARTNERS THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. SENIORS. THEY ARE BEHIND PRODUCTS. THEY HOPE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR IDEAS TO A PANEL OF INDUSTRY AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS AND COMPETE FOR AWARDS, INCLUDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR PATENTS OF THE MORE THAN 180,000 STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE NATIONWIDE. SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAD 3 STUDENTS MAKE IT TO THE U.S. NATIONALS. WGCUS EMMA RODRIGUEZ WITH THE TRIO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR INVENTION. >> IN A FAST PACED TECH BASED WORLD WERE PRESENTED WITH ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT NEED SOLVING. THIS IS WHY DR SHARMA, FORT MYERS, HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE AND MULTI-YEAR INVENTION, CONVENTION COMPETITOR DOES WHAT HE DOES. >> I BELIEVE IT'S A CORE AND FUNDAMENTAL PART OF HOW WE HUMANS AS A SPECIES LIKE CREATE STUFF. >> HIS INVENTION, THE SMART MORPH WING, ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE HONORS IN HIS GRADE LEVEL IN THE AEROSPACE SPECIALTY AWARD. IT'S A PROTOTYPE OF A PLANE WING THAT INSTEAD OF USING FLAPS DURING LANDING CAN CONTORT WITHIN ITSELF TO REDUCE SPEED YOUR SAYS THAT HE GOT THE IDEA WHILE IN A PLANE HIMSELF WATCHING THE FLAPS ON THE WINGS DEPLOY FOR LANDING. >> AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THAT THOSE GOT HAD TO BE CREATING DRAGON, REDUCING THE FUEL EFFICIENCY OF THE AIRCRAFT. SO THAT'S RIGHT. SORT OF GOT THE IDEA OF MORPHING WAYNE, WHERE WOULD HAVE ONE CONTINUOUS SHAPE TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY >> THROUGH AND THAT ARE TESTING WITH A MAKESHIFT WIND TUNNEL. SMART MORPH PRODUCED A 220% INCREASE IN AIRCRAFT LIFT, WHICH IS COMPARABLE TO WIN WITH TRADITIONAL FLAPS, ABOUT CONSUMING LESS POWER. THIS HAS DEER EXCITED FOR FURTHER TESTING. SOME INVENTION CONVENTION PRODUCTS LIKE SMART MORPH CAN BE USED BY MANUFACTURING COMPANIES TO MAKE A MORE EFFICIENT OR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MACHINE. BUT OTHERS GIVE DIRECTLY TO THE CONSUMER AND SMALL BUSINESSES AS A 4TH GRADER AT PINE CREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SET OUT TO DO. HADLEY GILCHRIST LOVES MAKING LATTES WITH HER DAD. SHE NOTICED THE POOR TO FILTER THE PART OF THE ESPRESSO MACHINE THAT HOLDS THE COFFEE GROUNDS WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE WITHOUT HURTING HER FINGERS. SO SHE CREATED THE PORT OF POP OR A 3 D PRINTED DEVICE. >> IT'S A SLIP THE TIMES UNDER THE BASKET T HERE AT POP. THANK YOU. PUT YOUR THUMB THAT I CAN AGREE WITH THAT. AND ROCK BACK IN IT TO POP IT OFF. YOU CAN ALSO LEFT OTHER LAMP ALL THE WAY DOWN. >> CURRENTLY SUPPORT A POP OR HAS A PROVISIONAL PATENT, MEANING IT'S CONSIDERED, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, PATENT PENDING FOR ONE YEAR. HADLEY LOOKS FORWARD TO OPENING AN ONLINE STORE AND GETTING TO THE NEXT STEP IN THE PATENTING PROCESS AFTER A WIN IN NATIONALS. >> I FEEL LIKE MIMI. HE NOT JUST LUCK. I THINK IS ACHIEVABLE. I CAN DO ANYTHING. I SET MY HER MIND TO. >> THROUGH INVENTION, CONVENTION LEE COUNTY'S BECOME HOME TO EVEN THE YOUNGEST INVENTORS IN THE FORM OF GATEWAY CHARGERS RAIOLA, HER INVENTION, HAIR BAND BUMPERS WON SECOND PLACE AT NATIONALS FOR KINDERGARTNERS. SHE DISCOVERED THAT THE ENDS OF HEADBANDS AND GLASSES WOULD HURT HER HEAD. SO SHE WRAPPED PIPE CLEANERS AROUND THEM TO MAKE IT ALL A BIT SOFTER. >> PLANT DOESN'T GET HERE LIKE I'M I'M LIKE, WHOA, CAN I GET A LITTLE LATE AND ONLY GET LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN SCORE FREE CLOUGH. ALL GUESTS WEEKS WILL HAPPEN. >> IT WAS AWESOME TO SEE WHAT OUR 3 LEE COUNTY INVENTION CONVENTION FINALIST CREATED ERA HAD LEE AND OLIVIA, ALL TOLD ME THAT IT FELT GREAT TO MAKE THEIR VISIONS COME TO LIFE. BUT AS YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL, WATCHING THE STORY, THERE'S FAR MORE THAN JUST INVENTING SOMETHING IN IT FOR THE STUDENTS. IT'S A SPRINGBOARD FOR THEIR FUTURES. I'M JOINED BY RISING FORT MYERS, HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE INDIRA SHARMA, ONCE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT ASPECT. THANKS FOR COMING BACK INTO THE STUDIO. DIRA, OF COURSE IN THE REPORT WE TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR AFFINITY FOR STEM. WHERE DID THAT REALLY START FOR YOU? >> FOR ME, IT STARTED WHEN I WAS A KID, I WOULD ALWAYS PERFORM IN OPENING ROUND OF STUFF TOGETHER AND LIKE WATCHING VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE THAT WAS THAT'S REALLY INSPIRED ME TO START MAKING STEM ACTIVITIES IN CREATING STEM PRODUCTS. SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE IT STARTED FOR ME IS FROM A YOUNG AGE. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTO STEM. >> MOVING A BIT MORE INTO YOUR JOURNEY. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT INVENTION CONVENTION SPECIFICALLY? >> ACTUALLY FOUND OUT ABOUT INVENTION CONVENTION BECAUSE MY BROTHER DID IT FIRST. AND IT WHEN I FOUND OUT THROUGH MY SCHOOLS, THAT'S WHERE THEY OFFERED IT. SO THAT PAD THE INVENTORS FOR CLUBS TO OUR BROTHER JOINED THAT AND I LEARNED ABOUT IT WHEN I GOT TO STRACHAN, DO IT. AND THEN I STARTED ACTUALLY IN 3RD GRADE AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT EVER SINCE. >> WE REALIZE YOU PUT MONTHS OF HARD WORK INTO YOUR INVENTION, SMART MORPH. WHY DID YOU FOCUS YOUR EFFORTS THERE INSTEAD OF MAYBE A DIFFERENT ACTIVITY THAT YOU'RE INVOLVED IN? >> YEAH, I FOCUS MY EFFORTS AND MORE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IT'S A PRODUCT THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY BENEFIT SOCIETY. AND I BELIEVE THAT LAFFERTY BETTER SPENT AND SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE HAS BEEN HELPING JUST MYSELF. >> WELL, DEAR AND IT WAS JUST LOVELY. GETTING TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH YOU AGAIN. GET TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK FOR YOUR FUTURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE