Mrs. Reneé Moore’s 7^th- and 8th-grade technology students have been working all semester on their invention creations. The students were tasked with creating an invention that would make people’s lives easier and more convenient. Valley School hosted an Invention Convention on Wednesday, December 4 for the 7^th- and 8^th-grade families to see first-hand the students’ invention presentations. Inventions ranged from a ski mask that tightly holds ski goggles in place to a “portable party” to solutions for backpack storage and a dry-erase board to help people with forgetfulness tendencies. Other inventions included special pillows and other accessories for car and airplane travel, a solution for those pesky lantern flies, a wheelchair with an umbrella attachment, a medicine dispenser with a lock and timer to keep medicine out of reach of small children, and even a stuffed animal that will help alleviate anxiety and stress by recording the owner’s worries and problems. The students created log books to track their hard work on their inventions, designed a pitch and a presentation board based on the judges’ rubric, and made a prototype of their invention with assistance from many crafty Valley School faculty and staff.  

On Thursday, December 12, Valley School students along with Mr. Marcus Crolery, Mrs. Reneé Moore, and Ms. Sara Paterson traveled to Central Cambria High School in Ebensburg to the Regional Invention Convention Competition. One of Valley School’s inventions, the Field Fresh, which is a device to clean sports cleats on-the-go and designed by three eighth-graders, took the 3^rd place honor at the competition. All the teams did a great job and scored high marks. Mrs. Moore, Mr. Kirkland, and all the Valley School faculty and staff are so proud of the students’ efforts.