It takes ingenuity and imagination to be an inventor. To foster this spirit of creativity in our students and increase our commitment to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), Country Day School entered student projects in the USF Young Innovators Competition.
Of the record 536 entries from Tampa bay, (which included high school, middle and elementary age students), there were 60 semifinalists; 20 from Pinellas County and…. 2 from Country Day School. We are proud to offer congratulations to:
Fifth grader Mr. Josh Prieto with his invention the ‘Baby Bat’.
Miss Emma Parsley, seventh grade, submitted her invention ‘the Magi-Comb.’
Entries were judged by an elite panel of invention/product experts including:
Neal Martinelli, Vice President of Merchandising at HSN, Steve Rogai, CEO of TV Goods, Inc., Guy Hagen, Vice President at Tucker Hall, Michael Colitz, III, Shareholder and Patent Attorney at Gray Robinson, Anton Hopen, Patent Attorney at Smith & Hopen and competition founder
The USF chapter of the National Academy of Inventors will select the top 15 finalists from the 60 semi-finalists. A presentation workshop will be held on Saturday, February 4 at USF from 10 am to 12 pm. The live presentation event will take place before a panel of celebrity judges at USF's Patel Center on Friday, February 10, 2012.
Again, congratulations to Emma and Josh, along with the other semi-finalists!