Ohio Invention League Inc

OHIO INVENTION LEAGUE (OIL) IS A YEAR-ROUND STEAM EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THAT USES THE INVENTION PROCESS TO TEACH K-12 STUDENTS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS. THE PROGRAM IS HIGHLY ENGAGING BECAUSE IT IS STUDENT CENTERED, ACCESSIBLE, AND ENABLES ALL STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF LEARNING LEVEL TO EXPERIENCE SUCCESS. STUDENTS INVESTIGATE THEN SELF-SELECT A PROBLEM IN THEIR OWN LIVES, THEIR FAMILY, OR COMMUNITY. AFTER RESEARCH, DESIGN, AND IDEATION, INVENTORS BUILD A PROTOTYPE (WHICH CAN ALSO BE SOFTWARE OR AN APP). THIS DESIGN PROCESS TEACHES DETERMINATION AND PERSEVERANCE AS STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO FAIL AND RISE ABOVE THE CHALLENGES. THE YEAR CULMINATES WITH LEVELS OF COMPETITION WHERE INVENTORS USE COMMUNICATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS TO PRESENT THEIR INVENTION TO VOLUNTEER JUDGES AND/OR MENTORS. AS THE WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC CONTINUED, OHIO'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM BECAME FLUID AND STARTED INITIATIVES INTENDED TO HELP EDUCATION EMERGE FROM COVID19 BETTER THAN BEFORE. INVENTION LEAGUE CONTINUED TO INNOVATE TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL MANDATES AND LOOK TO FORECASTED SKILLS NEEDED FOR THE 2025 WORKFORCE AND BEYOND. INVENTION CONVENTION PROGRAMMTIC SUPPORT: THE ENTIRE PROGRAMMATIC YEAR WAS PRESENTED ONLINE WITH EXPANDED DIGITAL TEACHER/PROGRAM LEADER SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES VIA WEEKLY OFFICE HOURS AND VIRTUAL INVENTOR CLUBS. PROFESSOR PROTOTYPE MADE VIRTUAL VISITS TO CLASSROOMS TO HELP STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS THROUGH THE INVENTION PROCESS. DUE TO THE ONGOING PANDEMIC, OIL COMMITTED TO INCREASING OUR SUPPORT OF EDUCATORS BY MANAGING ALL REGIONAL AND/OR STATE EVENT COORDINATION. AS A RESULT, OHIO RETAINED 75% OF PREVIOUS COUNTIES. OIL'S INDEPENDENT INVENTOR PROGRAM WAS ENHANCED BY ADDITIONAL DIGITAL RESOURCES AND MENTORING. OIL'S 2021 TEACHER OF EXCELLENCE WAS FROM LORAIN COUNTY OHIO. MENTORINVENTOR/ALUMNI PROGRAM: OIL KNOWS THE VALUE OF REACHING THE YOUNGEST LEARNERS TO ENGAGE THEM IN CREATIVE THINKING AND APPLIED STEM. THROUGH EARLY PARTICIPATION STUDENTS DEVELOP CONFIDENCE AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS TO CONTINUE PROBLEM SOLVING YEAR AFTER YEAR. STUDENTS DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN PURSUING STEM BASED TECHNOLOGY AND MAKER SKILLS TO HELP SOLVE THEIR NEXT PROBLEM. THEY AUTHENTICALLY ENGAGE AND PURSUE THEIR INTERESTS WITH A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND PASSION. OIL IS SEEING THE RETENTION AND CONTINUED PARTICIPATION OF THESE YOUNG INVENTORS THROUGHOUT THEIR ACADEMIC CAREERS. AS THEY MATURE AND DEVELOP MORE COMPLEX SKILL SETS, THE PROBLEMS THEY SEEK TO SOLVE OFTEN HAVE MORE SOCIETAL IMPACT AND ENTREPRENEURIAL AND MARKETPLACE VIABILITY. THE MENTORINVENTOR (ALUMNI) PROGRAM ALLOWS ALUMNI TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH OIL PROGRAM REGARDLESS OF SCHOOL AFFILIATION. OIL PROVIDES MENTORING AND ONGOING EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT VIA MONTHLY FAMILY VIDEO CALLS. MONTHLY MEETINGS FEATURE REAL WORLD INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND SUCCESSFUL STUDENT INVENTORS AS SPECIAL GUESTS AND PRESENTERS. MENTORINVENTOR ALSO GIVES STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL EVENTS SUCH AS KID INVENTOR DAY AT THE OHIO STATEHOUSE, STEM APPEARANCES, MENTORING EVENTS WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. YOUNG INVENTORS ENGAGED IN PEER-TO-PEER MENTORING TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER. ALL EVENTS WERE PLANNED AND PRESENTED ONLINE. EVENTS: KID INVENTOR DAY WAS CELEBRATED FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK BY CREATING VIDEOS OF INTERVIEWS WITH INVENTORS, SPONSORS, AND STATE LEGISLATORS. OIL PARTICIPATED IN ONLINE STEM LEARNING EVENTS SUCH AS REMAKE LEARNING AS WELL AS MENTORINVENTOR DAYS AND ONLINE ENGINEERING CAMPS FOR STUDENTS. STUDENT AMBASSADORS PRESENTED TO DONORS AS WELL AS ONLINE EVENTS. OHIO STUDENTS WERE RECOGNIZED AT REGIONAL, STATE, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL LEVELS. AT A STATE LEVEL PARTICIPATION WAS 50% FEMALE AND 40% MALE. OUT OF ALL INVENTORS, 35% WERE REPEAT INVENTORS. A TOTAL OF 101 STUDENTS RECEIVED AWARDS AT REGIONAL AND STATE LEVEL COMPETITIONS. THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH OHIO TUITION TRUST AUTHORITY, 26,995 IN OHIO COLLEGEADVANTAGE 529 SAVINGS SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED. THE ORGANIZATION HAD OVER 140 VOLUNTEER JUDGES AND MENTORS AS EVENTS WERE REQUIRED TO GO ONLINE; VOLUNTEERS REGISTERED FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO VIEW VIDEO SUBMISSIONS. 50 STUDENTS WERE INVITED TO THE U.S. NATIONAL COMPETITION. TEN STUDENTS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 14 NATIONAL AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST IN SHOW. OHIO RANKED 2ND IN THE COUNTRY. SIX OHIO STUDENTS WERE INVITED TO PARTICPATE IN THE FIRST EVER INVENTION CONVENTION GLOBALS. THREE STUDENTS TOOK HOME A TOTAL OF 3 AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST IN SHOW.