TEACHER TRAINING WORKSHOP:  

any of the three scheduled events.  Our next Teacher Training session will be 

Date:  October 16, 2010 from  9am to  3 pm.  LUNCH INCLUDED.  

Location:  Talcott Mountain Science Center, Avon, CT.

Registration Form (MS Word Doc or Adobe PDF)

Fill out and mail form and check(s) to: 

   CT Invention Convention, 

   Attn: Teacher Training Workshop, 

   P.O. Box 576, 

   Portland, CT  06480

Our TEACHER TRAINING SESSIONs provide an interactive participatory means to LEARN and EXPERIENCE our new Curriculum firsthand 

The CIC will help you begin a new program, refine your skills, or help you get another colleague the tools so they can begin invention and creative critical thinks skills instruction.  Learn the basic steps from the CIC Curriculum Developers themselves, and in just one day you will:

• Get resources & practical suggestions to conduct a proven learning activity for K-8;

• Link "inventing" directly with state and national standards for science inquiry;

• Learn how invention addresses higher order thinking skills, learning styles, and multiple intelligences;

• Meet fellow teachers, exchange ideas and concepts of learning;

• Get a step-by-step guide to conducting an invention convention, and more

CEU EQUIVALENTS FOR CIC TRAINING SESSIONS:

   -  IMPORTANT!  Teachers need to get pre-approval from their district or CEU provider. Contact your district or CEU provider at least two weeks prior to the CIC workshop, fill out their appropriate form and attach a copy of our postcard, flyer, web site description, or email.

    -  CIC will provide signed proof of your attendance on that day.

   -  Teachers then submit that document to the district or CEU provider and they issue the CEUs.

questions?   

email Honora Kenney, CIC Curriculum Director

------------------------------------------------------------

PRESS RELEASES

Press Release 12-29-06 RECIPE FOR A NEW ECONOMY CALLS FOR YANKEE INGENUITY

-------------------------------------------------------------

WATCH 2008 CIC ON VIDEO

Thanks for student producers Gabi and Gabe Bradley, and using QuickTime Video Viewer you can watch this children produced 10 minute segment of our past event.
-------------------------------------------------------------

.SCHOOL DATA MISSING  SAVINGS BONDS  HELP US UNITE SAVINGS BONDS WITH RECOGNIZED INVENTORS:
(Hartford, CT  -  posted 9/11/08)  The following students in the 2007-2008 CIC had their Saving Bond Award returned ... 
(continued - see MISSING ADDRESSES)  .. to our Post Office, for incorrect or non-forwarding addresses.  Do you know these kids?  Please call the CIC President at (860) 677-6372 with their phone and address, so we can re-unite 2008 Student Winner's Bonds with the students Students:

• Helen Burkhardt

• John Forsythe,  Chester (FOUND!!!)

• Jill Theile,  Newton   (FOUND!!!)

• Emily Kresse,  Colchester (FOUND!!!)

• Anna L. Christiano,  Rocky Hill (FOUND!!!)

• Mae Lucey,  Old Lyme (FOUND!!!)

• Tyler Anderson,  East Hampton

• Michael Depercio,  Rocky Hill (FOUND!!!)

• Emily Fisher,   Sandy Hook (FOUND!!!)

• Porter Dowling (FOUND!!!)

If you, your student have not received savings from 2008, please Contact Us or the Federal Reserve Bank Savings Bond Customer Support line at 800-245-2804.  If you call the Federal Reserve, at the number indicated you may press 3, then 2 on the automated menu, and request a "Non-Receipt Claim Form".  This then should be filled out and sent back to the Federal Reserve as indicated on the form. You may have to provide the CT Invention Convention's  E.I.N. number which is 22-3173317.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

INFLATION: 

...   "This modest increase is unfortunate, but necessary to keep pace with our costs, and to provide a quality program." says Baumgartner, Pres. of the CIC, "This is only the 2nd time we've had a price increase for more than 15 years"

Individual student fees are slated to rise by 5 dollars in the Spring.

.  

The CIC hopes this does not discourage schools and students from participation.  In some cases, a school may appeal to the board for "Scholarship Grants" to encourage new schools or those in the inner cities of CT to become members of the growing community of Connecticut Schools and student inventors.  "Imagine if our children create some great inventions that can then be marketed, it can create new jobs and income for many.  Those new companies then might become Sustaining Donors, to help share the cost of the program"  The CIC is sponsored by some of the best of Connecticut's Business and Academic communities.  View our Sustaining Donors and Special Awards Provider List

-----------------------------------------------------------

BANNER YEAR

...at the 25th Annual Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC).  The Bonds, ordered today, were delayed earlier because our volunteer board could not handle all the activities in a timely fashion.   "The Bond Process is being automated to ensure more timely purchases from the Federal Reserve Banking System." says Baumgartner, President of the CIC, adding that "additional volunteers are always needed, and can also help us with this and other work."

This is the highest value of awards presented to the Recognized Inventors in CIC history, and does not include the value of some of the Special Awards.  Business and other institutions provide support for these awards, and include software, patent searches, museum memberships, as well as opportunities to share their inventions with others at upcoming conferences.

If students do not receive their bonds by Aug. 30th, they should follow the Lost Bond Procedure or  Contact the CIC for instructions.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

  OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

UCONN School of Engineering CELEBRATES 10 Years hosting CIC

One Student takes on School, implements CT Invention Convention Single-handedly

Gabriella's Opinion of the CIC 

A First Grader's View of CIC 2004 in Her Own Words and Drawings

CIC 2004 in Frontiers magazine from the UConn School of Engineering

CT Business Article on CIC (151 KB PDF)

-------------------------------------------------------------

AMBASSADOR

...the popular science program on PBS called Everyday Edisons.   The program, in it's third season announced the appointment of Devin as JUNIOR AMBASSADOR for the program, noting that his invention, the Mountain Patrol Alert Locater had received accolades in the 2008 CIC competition at University of Connecticut, winning the CT Academy of Science Award, and a CIC Recognized Inventor Award..  Everday Edisons takes the stories of everyday people and their inventions, and shows the steps necessary to bring a product to market.  The CIC is very proud of Devin's achievement. For more on Devin and the Everyday Edison program series, visit EdisonNation.

--------------------------------------------

... Moses Y. Beach Elementary School, had been selected by ELLEN and CYBERCHASE to appear on the programs for her REAR GEAR invention.  

     Gabi also shared with the CIC her AUDITION TAPE, so that other students wishing to make their own DVD or VHS audition tape would have a model on which to base their trials for national exposure.  She has provided the CIC with solid support by her efforts to bring CIC awareness to our State's legislatures, and by her efforts with her brother Gabe Bradley to Video, Edit, and Produce a CIC News DVD this past 2007-2008 CT Invention Convention at Gampel.  We are working to put this video on this site.

Addtional Video Links
CIC Kids on Ellen 1
CIC Kids on Ellen 2

CIC Kids on Ellen 3
Gabi 's Audition Tape Model

CIC STUDENTS WOW JAY LENO 

August 11, 2004  

    HARTFORD, CT – After participating in the 21st annual Connecticut Invention Convention, three student inventors from the state traveled to Burbank, CA to show their creations to Jay Leno on NBC’s The Tonight Show. The segment aired on Tuesday, August 10.
   The inventors are Levi French, a fifth grader who invented an illuminated toilet; Stephen Hawes, a fourth grader who developed a hands-free umbrella for grilling; and Britta Lower, a sixth grader who created a signaling shopping cart.   Remarkably, all three students are from Marlborough, although inventors from across the state and around the country were considered.
    Leno gave Stephen Hawes’ umbrella a test with a simulated rain shower. Inventor and burgers remained dry, which caused the host to exclaim, “Cool!”   After meeting Britta Lower and her “Blinker Cart,” Leno unveiled a full-sized duplicate made by the show. Britta then tried out the show’s model and made a run at Leno, who fortunately saw the signal in time to avoid an accident.   Finally, the host introduced Levi French and his “Light and Go” toilet. A lights-out demonstration drew rave reviews from Leno and the audience.
     The show contacted the Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC) in June after reading about the event and then finding the organization’s web site, www.CTInventionConvention.org.   Ron Lizzi, CIC Past Vice President and a senior engineer at Timex Corp. of Middlebury, said that the show was looking for children with outgoing personalities and unusually creative inventions.
     “I polled our judges and teachers for suggestions and then made a list of kids and inventions  that might appeal to the show,” said Lizzi.  A producer then requested short video tapes of the students presenting their inventions. After reviewing the tapes and conducting phone interviews, the show settled on the three young inventors for a segment on the late night talk show.
     Although the CIC is a serious educational program, CIC President, Charlie Baumgartner of Plainville-based GE Consumer and Industrial, is ecstatic with the attention from the entertainment show. “The exposure should not only be great for the kids, but the program as a whole,” he said.
     “This will be the third appearance on national TV in our 21-year history,” he added. The CIC was last featured on PBS’ Zoom, an educational program for children.   The CIC is a nonprofit organization that provides a curriculum for teaching inventing to children in grades K - 8, in the hope that many of the students will eventually pursue careers in science and engineering.   Approximately 10,000 students go through the program annually in 90 schools across the state.
     Participating schools send their top inventors to the state convention, held at Gampel Pavilion at UConn and sponsored by UConn’s School of Engineering, United Technologies, GE, CL&P, Phoenix Investment Partners, Ltd., and the Connecticut Space Grant College Consortium.   Baumgartner added, “Just a couple years ago, we were wondering if we were going to continue the program, because money was tight. We rely on corporate donations, in-kind support, and volunteers, so I’m hoping that this raises awareness about our program and encourages more sponsorship along with a greater number of participating schools.”
     Karen Brennan, CIC board member and teacher of the star inventors at Marlborough Elementary School, said, "It was a thrill to see kids I taught on national TV."   Brennan has taught inventing using the CIC curriculum for several years and has become a champion of it. “I wish every school participated,” she said. “It’s just wonderful for the kids to apply themselves to solve problems that they can see.”
     Lizzi sees the attention given to the young invertors as being an important part of the CIC’s mission. “While education is certainly at the core of what we do, we also want to make a statement,” he said.  “Our convention at UConn and this show send an import message to all the kids about how society values creativity and intelligence.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEWSLETTERS:

Winter 2009 Newsletter

2008 -  UConn Celebrates 10th year with CIC; CIC 25th Birthday!

Winter 2007 Newsletter

Winter 2006 Newsletter

Fall 2005 Newsletter

--------------------------------------------