Have you ever seen a convertible shoe, a shoe with a zipper that transforms into a sandal when it unzips? Or, what about a “shovel & shake” — a shovel that spreads salt as you shovel snow?
These were just a couple of inventions presented in downtown Toronto yesterday by a group of ambitious and creative thinking Grade 7 and 8 students from school boards across southern Ontario.
In all, more than 350 students gathered for the 13th annual Invention Convention, organized the national non-profit organization The Learning Partnership, which is dedicated to championing a strong public education system across Canada through innovative programs and public engagement, including the well-known Take Our Kids to Work campaign.
But yesterday’s invention exhibit was the culmination of months of hard work for these up-and-coming young inventors. Since January, the students from participating schools worked closely with their teachers to turn their ideas into reality.
Students first had to identify a problem in their own life and invent a product based on concepts they learned in class to solve their problem. One student came up with the fantastic fish feeder, which is set on a timer and automatically feeds fish so you never forget to.
Other Invention Conventions are taking place in Calgary, Edmonton and St. John’s, N.L. throughout April and May.
