Students from the gifted program at Penn-Trafford elementary schools were encouraged by their teacher Mr. Bechtell to participate in the Westmoreland County Invention Convention which took place in December at Yough Intermediate Middle School.
Projects were completed individually or in groups and included a visual display, a written description, and many also included a prototype of the invention. Judges interviewed the student inventors, asking each of them questions about research, the projected market for the invention, and how it works.
The following students were awarded first place in their divisions, and will travel to Hershey, PA on February 8th for the Pennsylvania Invention Convention:
- Elena Southern (grade 5) - Sunrise Estates Elementary
- Caleb Larson (grade 5), Ellasyn Tautkus-Berry (grade 5), Jake Bogler (grade 5), Miles Johnson (grade 4) - Level Green Elementary
- Natalia Gunstrom (grade 4) - Harrison Park Elementary
- Madelyn Delrosso (grade 4) - Sunrise Estates Elementary
Mr. Bechtell was impressed by the hard work and creativity shown by his classes, stating, “I’m so proud of the students for looking carefully at life and trying to find ways to make it easier/better for all of us, and most importantly, having the courage to build it and share it.”