JC students working on innovations

A group of local teenagers is hoping to produce the next great invention.
Jay County High School students took part Wednesday in a workshop for Jay County Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Innovation Competition.
Dean Sanders executive director of the chamber, told students how to continue their projects now that they are steadily moving from the brainstorming segment to design phase. He was excited to work with the students, whose projects range from those involving smart phone apps, to other consumer goods to ventures into the medical field.
“They’re very creative, there’s a lot of out-of-the-box thinking and they’re really a wide range of inventions,” he said, noting that 28 students are taking part in the competition. “The thing I really enjoy working with the kids is their creativity and their excitement for their invention. You can tell they’re working hard at it and are enjoying it.”
Some student inventions are modifications to existing products, like a lock for extension cord outlets designed by sophomore Destiny Butler and her two teammates.
“They help me think of ideas that I can do to my product or make it better,” said Butler of the innovation workshops.
It would be nice to win the contest, she said, but the experience is great if she does not.
“The competition is definitely going to be tough because we’ve got some great students, but I feel somewhat confident with my product,” she added.
Kalen Hicks, a junior, is working with two others on an invention geared toward travelers. The workshops have helped her and her teammates put the idea into design and make the project appeal to everyone.
Students will continue to work on developing their ideas through March 21. The next phase is testing, redesigning and rebuilding from March 22 to April 4, followed by finalizing the invention from April 5 through 10, analyzing, organizing and preparing for judging April 11 through 17 and preparing the display and presentation begins April 18 through 29.
Mentoring workshops with local business leaders begin March 30. Hicks’ group was assigned to Matt Glentzer, owner of Portland Motor Parts NAPA.
Butler’s set was appointed John Boggs, general manager of WPGW, who has 45 years of experience in marketing.
“I’m encouraged that so many kids are participating,” said Boggs. “The neat thing about children is they have creative minds and haven’t faced a lot of failures. They can come up with unique ideas that no one else has pursued.
“They could create a whole new business because of their inventions.”
The competition will culminate with the Community Innovation Fair on April 30 at John Jay Center for Learning, when students will give five- to seven-minute presentations of their inventions to a panel of judges. The Wal-Mart Foundation helped fund the competition, including prizes of $500, $250 and $100.
Giving students an outlet to work on projects outside the classroom is important for their growth, said Jay County principal Chad Dodd.
“I think we’re living in a world where technology is advancing so quickly, it’s hard to stay on top of,” he said. “Knowing that these kids are using their creativity, for me, it’s exciting to see them using that creative mind.”