Our fifth challenge with MISD is about to begin!
The arrival of our fifth challenge with MISD is imminent. As we enter 2025, we will be on the cusp of year five of our partnership.
We have witnessed its success snowball with each passing year, as more schools, more makers, and more little inventors have joined us to participate in the challenges.
MISD is the Macomb Intermediate School District. In partnership with the MISTEM Network, they have been working with us since early 2021 to deliver exciting creative opportunities for young people in Macomb County, Michigan.
Our journey with MISD has been a fruitful one indeed. So many spectacular ideas have sprung from each challenge and hours of STEM activities and imagining and making have been enjoyed in classrooms across the county.
Each challenge has concluded with a showcase of the winning ideas
With more schools onboard came more and more magnificent makers! Every challenge saw the maker pool grow ever larger.
The makes have been hand-crafted by spectacular supporters like PTI Engineers Plastics, Starbase One, and Ascent Areospace. Several of the makers have continued to join us year after year.
During each year, we have carefully selected a theme and crafted a challenge that worked to ignite a creative spark within children in Michigan. With MISD's input every step of the way, together we created resources and lesson plans to educate as well as inspire.
All of the challenges concluded with a specially chosen set of winners having their vision made into a reality, as the collective team's most-loved ideas were brought to life.
The ideas have been showcased over time to a burgeoning number of visitors. With each year bigger than the last, participating schools have flocked to an exhibition to celebrate the winners and makers.
Participating schools have gathered each year for the exhibition
MISD Mission Blue: Oceans!
For our first challenge, we dove straight in with a challenge centered around oceans. The students trawled the depths of their imaginations and came up with ideas that helped improve the condition of such a vital part of our planet.
Two amazing ideas were selected to be brought to life. Samantha's The Ocean Snake of Doom (For Plastic) was as beneficial as it was unique. This robotic reptile certainly spelled doom for plastic pollution. It paddles around the ocean chomping up any plastic in its wake and uses it as a fuel source to continue its important work.
Ava's also saw her idea Puffer Sub realised. This puffer fish-shaped submarine doesn't scare off its fellow fish as it scours the sea bed searching for trash!
Samantha's idea 'The Ocean Snake of Doom (For Plastic)'
Operation Lift Off: MISD Mission Moon!
Our second endevour saw little inventors imaginations blast off into space! For this challenge they became space explorers. In 2022 NASA was going back to the moon so we encouraged students to think about what could benefit an astronaut. They learned about lunar base camps, rockets, and space innovations.
We brought to life four stellar ideas this time, featuring Hayden's The Flamingo Mobile. A unique take on the typical rocket, Hayden's spacecraft allows the astronaut to blast off in style and offers all-round robust protection. This one was sure to catch the attention of any passing extraterrestrial.
We also brought to life Peyton's Weather Box. This idea offers a portable way to feel all kinds of familiar weather in space, whether it be rain, shine, heat or cold.
Hayden's idea 'The Flamingo Mobile'
MISD Go Green: For a Better Planet
During year three, we asked children to go green and allow their creativity to bloom. They learned about climate change and how the earth is impacted by the daily habits of everyone around the world. We taught them that innovation can change the future and the ways in which invention can help us live more sustainably and minimise pollution.
The winners had the wellbeing of the planet and its population at the forefront of their efforts. One winner was Emma with her wonderfully aesthetic Mermaid Chair. The chair not only brings joy to the wheelchair user and dresses them in a fabulous mermaid tail, it's also made from recycled plastic bottles thereby reducing polluting waste.
Another winner was Hunter, who thought up The Auto Tree Planter. Hunter's robot travels around planting seeds and it can even fly! His idea would enrich natural landscapes and nourish wildlife.
Emma's idea 'Mermaid Chair'
MISD Born to Invent: Michigan and Beyond!
For year four, we went even bigger and brought a colossal ten ideas to life. Participating children only had to look on their own doorstep to find some icons of invention. They learned that inventors from Michigan have changed the world with their ideas, from the humble lightbulb to futuristic fiber optic, the state is no stranger to pioneering minds!
The students eagerly got inventing to solve problems posed by real people from around the world, looking to inventors before them for inspiration.
Winner Delilah sought to help Chief Inventor Dominic sooth and entertain his newborn baby. Her invention The Raz (Relax and Zen) provides everything a baby could ever want and more! Complete with music, a comforting hand, and a bottle warmer.
Rushing to the aid of Samoan Aniva who was looking for protection for homes from rising sea levels, Lily invented The Tallhouse. This highly practical and compassionate invention comprises of a mechanism whereby a person's whole house and garden rises up to twenty feet in the air and is covered by a protective dome.
Delilah's idea 'The Raz (Relax and Zen)'
Our new challenge is sure to inspire a surge of creativity. 2025 will bring MISD Energy: Feel the Power! to little inventors in Michigan.
It will focus on renewable energy and the fight against climate change. The way we produce and use energy is the biggest reason for pollution on Earth and we want the students to help change that!
Their challenge for year five will be to to invent something that generates energy, saves energy, or uses energy better.
It's time to turn on that inventing switch and feel the power!