POCATELLO — Twenty-five students from Grace Lutheran are set to join other middle schoolers across Southeast Idaho in the Invent Idaho Convention at Idaho State University this weekend.
Cristine Casselman, a teacher at Grace Lutheran, said the convention will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Rendezvous Building at ISU.
“We have seven Southeast Idaho schools participating,” Casselman said. “There are about 100 projects or inventions.”
STEM professionals will judge the contestants during the convention. Students who place will have the opportunity to advance to the state competition at the University of Idaho.
“After the state competition, if anyone places from Southeast Idaho, they get the opportunity to attend nationals,” Casselman said. “That is in Michigan at the Henry Ford Museum.”
Casselman’s students came up with a variety of projects for the convention, including a mirror that gives positive affirmations, a safety candle and a mythical board game.
“It’s pretty amazing to see what these younger generations can come up with,” Casselman said. “They’re very creative.”
Casselman said she loves watching students come up with ideas because they are the leaders, scientists and engineers of the future. The things they are learning now will benefit them later in life.
“We want them to find solutions to everyday problems because later on they could come up with a solution to an even bigger problem,” Casselman said. “They are our hope, and so many people don’t give the younger minds as much credit as they deserve.”
This is the third year ISU has sponsored the convention. The College of Science and Engineering and ICCU have also contributed to make the event possible.
“I have other contributors too,” Casselman said.
Casselman looks forward to watching her students show their projects at the convention.
“These kids worked so hard,” Casselman said.