Congratulations to our Parsons Pirates for sweeping the Wayne State Invention Convention Regional Competition! Our Inventor’s Club has been hard at work since November under the dedicated coaching of Dan Chojnowski and Colleen Buscemi, and their efforts truly paid off.

The Invention Convention is an engaging, hands-on learning experience for students in grades three through 12 that focuses on solving real-world problems through the invention process. Students enhance existing products or design brand-new ideas while building critical thinking, teamwork and presentation skills. For months, students in grades three through five collaborated in teams to brainstorm ideas, build prototypes, create pitch videos, and design posters.

On March 21, 28 Parsons students presented independently to judges at Wayne State University. Out of the five teams advancing to the state finals, our Parsons Pirates earned places two through five!

Lucy Chojnowski, Nolan Jager, Brendan Krechnyak, and Ben Queen came in second place with their invention of the Weather Hat – a hat that cleverly stores a hidden poncho for unexpected weather. Isabelle Hall and Scarlett Pace secured third place with Zonked Out – an invention that alerts a cat to mice in a chicken coop. In fourth place, Frankie and Lily Green designed the Hot and Cold 2000, which warns a person taking a shower that the temperature is about to change. In fifth place, Callum Aherne, Jonah Putek, Ivy Shuman, and Katheryne Smith created the Glow Can – a glowing garbage can that prevents accidents in the dark and signals when pickup is complete.

We are proud to share that four Parsons teams recently represented our school at the Regional Invention Convention, competing alongside more than 130 teams from across the state of Michigan at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Our students worked collaboratively to present their innovative ideas to a panel of judges, demonstrating creativity, problem-solving and confidence.

In addition to their presentations, students enjoyed a special lunch and had the opportunity to explore the museum’s inspiring exhibits, making it a truly memorable experience.

While our teams did not advance to the national competition this year, we are incredibly proud of their hard work and accomplishments. It was a fantastic first season for Parsons, and we are excited to build on this success in the years to come!