Celebrating Youth Innovation
The 2020 Northern New England Invention Convention (NNE-IC) took to the internet for the first time in our nearly 40 years of youth innovation. Our original plan was to host the event on March 28th for 750+ people at Southern New Hampshire University. When the inevitable decision came to cancel the in-person event, we were heart-broken yet determined to give our young inventors a stage to present their ideas and celebrate a year of hard work. We knew so much had been taken from kids with schools, libraries, after-school activities closed that we could not eliminate the event entirely….so when we faced the challenge, we did what every inventor does with a set-back: we worked harder, used our creativity, and leveraged technology to come up with a solution!
Timing was on our side because our teachers, community organizations, and independent students had already completed their local invention fairs. Without space limitations, we allowed local program leaders to nominate more students to the NNE-IC. We extended invitations to 243 students to compete online by filming 6-minute pitch videos and submitting photos of their prototypes, display boards, and notebooks. We are pleased to report that more than half of the nominated students competed!
2020 Northern New England Invention Convention Awards Ceremony
Thank You
Before the list of winners, we must thank very important people who made this year and the Invention Convention possible. First, our lead sponsors who fueled our finances as we kept the spark of innovation alive: Southern New Hampshire University, Topcoder, and Takeda. Without their support, we could not offer the Young Inventors’ Program to schools, libraries, clubs, organizations, and home schoolers for no cost.
We extend our thanks to all of the parents, siblings, family members, and friends who helped our young inventors film their pitch videos and upload materials for judging. We are also grateful for the judges who spent extra screen time to view videos and to meet by Zoom to deliberate. We had judges from across New England — and even one in Japan — contribute to YIP. And a standing ovation to Hayley LaPoint who emceed our awards ceremony and provided inspiration to our students and their families. This year’s Northern New England Invention Convention was truly a collaborative effort.
And now….the awards!
General Invention Category Grade Level Awards
Specialty topic categories are recognized across each judged grade level IF there is a candidate in that grade level that the judges felt fit the category. Not all grades will be awarded in specialty areas. We will also award a “BEST” invention in each grade level grouping (for example, K-2 or 7-11).
ADAPTIVE/ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AWARD
Grade K-2: Madeleine Dube. Hampstead Academy, Work-n-Go 2020
Grade 3: Juliette McLaughlin, Bow Elementary School, Jungle Rescue Game
Grade 4: Calvin Alander, Woodman Park School, Step Stool Grocery Cart
Grade 5: Parker Boulanger, Hooksett Memorial School, Calm Critters
Grade 6: Sylvia Guarracino & Leo Guarracino, Greenland Central School, Aqua-Aid
Grade 7-11: Griffin Li, KTBYTE Academy, AnswerIT
ANIMAL WELFARE AWARD
Grade K-2: Thomas White, Harold Martin Elementary School, Poop Shield
Grade 3: Mariska Hilton & Sydney Sleeper, Clark Wilkins Elementary School, The Slippery Birdhouse
Grade 4: Emma Loonie, Ernest P. Barka Elementary School, Doggone Boredom
Grade 6: Madeline Grimes, H.R. Donaghue School, Glow Bowl
Grade 7-11: William Zhang, KTBYTE Academy, D.E.M.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS AWARD
Grade K-2: Haylee Vincent, Fred C. Underhill School, Friendship Flip Talk
Grade 6: Kaden Shin, KTBYTE Academy, Water Bot
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD
Grade K-2: Robert Emory, Greenland Central School, EZ Ski
Grade 3: Brooklyn Griffin, Belmont Elementary School, Nozzle Hat
Grade 4: Grace Meisser, Center Woods Upper Elementary/Weare Middle School, The De-Ice-Inator
Grade 5: Aria Lobao, Danville Elementary School, Garbomatic
Grade 6: Owen McDonald & Jackson Miller, Dr. John C. Page Elementary School, Thermosleeve
Grade 7-11: Owen Simoes, The Beech Hill School, Bomabard the Yard-Sale Finder Website
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AWARD
Grade K-2: Jane Zhang, Country School, Green Box
Grade 3: Freya Killian, Riddle Brook School, Soap Bar 2000
Grade 4: Adrianna Merry-Rodrigue, Bedford Memorial School, Milfoil Destroyer
Grade 5: Brandon Xie, KTBYTE Academy, Eco Warner
Grade 6: Mason Roets, Rollinsford Grade School, Gamma Goodness
HEALTH & WELLNESS AWARD
Grade K-2: Eric Roets, Rollinsford Grade School, Safety Bot
Grade 4: Amelia Clark, Simonds Elementary School, Metal Mouth Gum
Grade 5: Kiley Coco, Hampstead Academy, Odor Eater Organics
Grade 6: Owen McDonald & Jackson Miller, Dr. John C. Page Elementary School, Thermosleeve
Grade 7-11: Ria Mishra, KTBYTE Academy, Patient Alert System
HOME IMPROVEMENT AWARD
Grade K-2: Maisie Majkut Clark, Wilkins Elementary School, Choice Buds Water Bottle for Kids
Grade 3: Andrew Xu-Ding, KTBYTE Academy, FireGuardian
Grade 4: Yashi Bajpai & Emerson Drown, Peter Woodbury Elementary School, VIDE: Virtual International Dining Experience
Grade 5: Gavin Edwards, Danville Elementary School, Projectile Toaster
Grade 6: Cadence Dionne, Hampstead Academy, Presto Paws
SPORTS/TOYS/GAMES/MUSIC AWARD
Grade K-2: Sara Tilton, Fred C. Underhill School, The Sled Helper
Grade 3: Edin Shinkle, Greenland Central School, Surf-Aid
Grade 4: (tie)
Charlie Botto & Camden Miller, Dr. John C. Page Elementary School, LED’s Play
Andrew Taylor, Gilmanton Elementary School, Bobber Ball
Grade 5: Jakob Farr, KTBYTE Academy, Umpire Buddies
Grade 6: Parker Aucoin, Crescent Lake Elementary School, Aucoin Wrap
BEST IN GRADE LEVEL AWARDS
Best in Grade K-2:
Best in Grade 3rd Place: Harper Bedrosian, Fred. C. Underhill School, Forget-No-More
Best in Grade 2nd Place: Jane Zhang, Country School, Green Box
Best in Grade 1st Place: Brooklyn Sipe & Leah Sipe, Peterborough Elementary School, Sock Sorter
Best in Grade 3:
Best in Grade 3rd Place: Stewart Gregory & Ella Liadis, Hooksett Memorial School, E-Z Erase N’ Go
Best in Grade 2nd Place: Andrew Xu-Ding, KTBYTE Academy, FireGuardian
Best in Grade 1st Place: Brooklyn Griffin, Belmont Elementary School, Nozzle Hat
Best in Grade 4:
Best in Grade 3rd Place: Grace Meisser, Center Woods Upper Elementary/Weare Middle School, The De-Ice-Inator
Best in Grade 2nd Place: Charlie Botto & Camden Miller, Dr. John C. Page Elementary School, LED’s Play
Best in Grade 1st Place: Maeve Schreck, Greenland Central School, Allergy Detective
Best in Grade 5:
Best in Grade 3rd Place: Lauryn Vetter, Maple Street School, Wall “Lah”
Best in Grade 2nd Place: Aria Lobao, Danville Elementary School, Garbomatic
Best in Grade 1st Place: Parker Boulanger, Hooksett Memorial School, Calm Critters
Best in Grade 6:
Best in Grade 3rd Place: Yuanheng Mao, KTBYTE Academy, CareBot
Best in Grade 2nd Place: Sylvia Guarracino & Leo Guarracino, Greenland Central School, Aqua-Aid
Best in Grade 1st Place: Jerry Xu, KTBYTE Academy, TerraMech
Best in Grade 7-11:
Best in Grade 3rd Place: Keyan Shahidullah, KTBYTE Academy, The Guide Belt
Best in Grade 2nd Place: Sadie McCallum, Center Woods Upper Elementary/Weare Middle School, The ATOM
Best in Grade 1st Place: Tanishi Mishra, KTBYTE Academy, Epertracker
CHALLENGE BEST IN GRADE LEVEL AWARDS: THE GREEN SCHOOL CHALLENGE
This year’s challenge required students to invent a product or service that helps make their school more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Awards are given in grade level groupings.
For Grade K-3:
Best in Grade 3rd Place: Eleanor Rombeau, Riddle Brook School, All-in-One Trash Can
Best in Grade 2nd Place: Kushal Sai Sanka, Horne Street School, Nourishing Spoon
Best in Grade 1st Place: Megan Merrigan, Horne Street School, Smell-O
For Grade 4-8:
Best in Grade 3rd Place: Molly Heath, Center Woods Upper Elementary/Weare Middle School, The Crusher 3000
Best in Grade 2nd Place: Amritanshu Pradhan, Clark Wilkins Elementary School, Recycle Trash and Earn Tasty Cash
Best in Grade 1st Place: Anna Blanchette, Dover Middle School, Plastic Waste Erase
CHAIN REACTION INVENTIONS
BEST TEAM EFFORT
Kendall Abernathy, Gemma Harl & Avery O’Sullivan, Riddle Brook School, Page Turner 41,000
BEST PRESENTATION
Sean McGee & Drew Morris, Riddle Brook School, Aqua-Cube 2000
MOST ORIGINAL AND UNIQUE
Madison, Hartley Hooksett Memorial School, The Baby Waker Upper
MOST COMPLEX
Isla O’Connor & Abagail Wall, Bedford Memorial School, The Dinner Bell Ringer
BEST IN GRADE LEVEL
Best in 3rd Grade: Violet Lloyd, Hooksett Memorial School, Pass the Napkin
Best in 4th Grade: Maci Laurendeau, Riddle Brook School, Lego Valley
BEST IN SHOW AWARDS
These awards are presented by program visionaries who sponsor these awards as they believe in young inventors’ ingenuity and spirit which will lead us into the future. These awards are judges by representatives of the sponsoring organizations and they share in our congratulations of all of the inventors for your remarkable inventions.
ELECTRIC AWARD and DESIGN AWARD presented by New Hampshire IEEE
- ELECTRIC AWARD honors inventions which incorporate an electrical element
Jakob Farr, KTBYTE Academy, Umpire Buddies - DESIGN AWARD for excellence in invention design
Travis LeFevre, Home School, SnoTech Roof Buddy
GLOBAL IMPACT SUSTAINABILITY AWARD, sponsored by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ Granite State Chapter
- Tanishi Mishra, KTBYTE Academy, Epertracker
JOYCE KENNE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD supported by The Academy of Applied Science and Camp Invention
Ms. Kenney was one of the leaders of the Young Inventors’ Program and for many years, coordinated the state’s Camp Invention Program serving more than 1,500 students each summer.
- Cooper Plourde, Gilmanton Elementary School, The Bag Changer
DISTRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY AWARD presented by Topcoder
- 3rd place:
Yashi Bajpai & Emerson Drown, Peter Woodbury Elementary School, VIDE: Virtual International Dining Experience - 2nd place:
Jerry Xu, KTBYTE Academy, TerraMech - 1st place:
Anna Blanchette, Dover Middle School, Plastic Waste Erase
AWARD FOR INNOVATION presented by Southern New Hampshire University
- Mason Roets, Rollinsford Grade School, Gamma Goodness
IGNITE THE SPARK AWARD
This new award honors the memory of founder of the Academy of Applied Science and the Young Inventors’ Program, Dr. Robert H. Rines who was inducted into the Inventor’s Hall of Fame in 1994. A true visionary, he was a passionate advocate for innovation, entrepreneurship, and creative thought. Presented by the Board of Directors of the Academy of Applied Science, this award is given to the inventor who demonstrates significant persistence and accomplishment in the face of hurdles to success or limited access to resources.
- Sadie McCallum, Center Woods Upper Elementary/Weare Middle School, The ATOM
Congratulations!
Congratulations to the 4,500+ students across the region who participated in the Young Inventors’ Program this year. We can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
Love what we do? Help us keep it going!
Make a gift — honor of inventor, graduation, teacher, creative person, or simply because YOU believe in what we’re doing.
Your support would mean a lot to us…and help us continue to provide YIP at no cost.
How to Help:
1) Text INVENT to 44-321
2) Use Donation Page
3) Become a YIP Crowd-Fundraiser
If you want to help us even more, you can start a fundraising page to share with your network. Just like a charity walk or run, you can raise funds to support more innovation and opportunity for K-12 inventors. To learn more, please contact Sara at: smunro@aas-world.org or 603-228-4530 x207.
