Bringing the Program to Your School

How to bring Oregon Invention Convention (OaIC) into your school

Bringing OaIC to your students and school is simple – just follow these steps to a successful OaIC program at your school.:

 

  1. Plan OaIC implementation for your school
  • Select staff.
    • Teachers, enrichment leads, STEM coordinators, after-school coordinators – many people can play a role. Typically a single person can handle the local logistics for coordinating the program there.
  • Decide population and schedule for the program.
    • Decide teaching population and time. Your staff selection might decide this, but if not, pick the grade level, team, before school, after school, etc. that will be the target of the program. Plan for about 1-2 hours a week.
    • Set date and location for local convention.
    • Know your target date for the culmination of your local curriculum – the local Invention Convention. You will need to hold this before the registration date for the Regional Event or State Event assigned for your location.
  • Set budget and secure funding.
    • While running an Invention Convention program at your school is not expensive, some funds are required. The average school will spend the following each year:
      • Teacher stipend (if required)
      • Training costs – Currently, teacher training costs are being waived
      • Awards and incidentals for local school convention ($25- $200 total)
    • Bus to transport winners and their families to the State-wide event – currently scheduled to be held in San Jose in May 2017.
  1. Register your school/program
  • Contact the Oregon Invention Convention expressing interest in the program. OR Invention Convention.
  1. Plan for OaIC Professional Development
  • OaIC runs professional development sessions for teachers in the Fall.
  • Professional Development (PD) is required for all new OaIC teachers and highly recommended for teachers who have not seen the new curricular resources. OaIC PD is a great opportunity to meet other OaIC teachers from your area that are running Invention Convention programs.
  • Currently payment fees for professional development are being waived.
  1. Start your program and submit your student roster
  • Hold a “Kick-Off Meeting” for all interested students
  • Get students excited and motivated to participate in invention convention. This is particularly important if you are running the invention convention program outside of your normal school curriculum. Tell parents about your plans and solicit participation. Post events on your school calendar.
  • Submit your student roster to OaIC by email.
  • This roster must be submitted online by the end of January.
  1. Teach the Curriculum
  • Plan instruction time
    • Instruction typically takes 6-8 weeks depending on how often classes are held. Some schools build this into their daily or weekly coursework during school; some make this an after school or enrichment program. Plan enough time for students to consider the task before them and to be able to get their creative juices going.
  1. Guide Students to Invent
  • Once taught, your kids will be ready to invent.
  • Collect “Intent to Invent” forms from students after lessons are taught. The invention is usually built at home. You will check in regularly with all inventors and review their Invention Log. Work on display boards and presentations can be done in school.
  1. Conduct your local Invention Convention
  • Hold your own local Invention Convention. This could be just one school or combined with other schools in your area.
  • Invite families and other classes to come in and view the displays. Engage local businesses, civic organizations and other volunteers to come and judge the exhibits using OIC-provided judging materials. Judge training is available upon request.
  • Select the inventors to attend the State Invention Convention
  • The percentage of your students who can move on to the State Convention will be announced in January.
  1. Register students for State Convention
  • Finals fee is $30 per student.
  • Notify OaIC who will be attending the State Convention. OIC will automatically complete the process for these students, however, either the school or the parent will be responsible for paying the $30 per student registration fee. Schools will inform OIC as to the responsible party for payment during registration. Schools who are paying for the student registration fees will be invoiced and can pay online by credit card or by check against a OaIC invoice. OaIC does not process or accept Purchase Orders (PO’s). Parents will receive an email with a link to pay by credit card.
  1. Students attend the OaIC Annual State Finals Event; Teachers invited to attend Teacher Appreciation Program
  • Many teachers accompany their students to the OaIC Finals.
  • While OaIC Annual State Finals celebrates the accomplishments of your students with awards and recognition, teachers are also acknowledged for their efforts and dedication to the OIC program. Each year, OaIC sponsors a Teachers Appreciation Program (TAP) which takes place during the students’ judging time. We provide lunch, goodie bags and a motivational speaker to show our appreciation for all you do for our OaIC students!
  • Registration for TAP
    • TAP sells out every year, so pre-registration is required. There is NO cost to the teachers or the schools for TAP.
  1. Students attend the National Invention Convention
  • Students selected by judges will move on to the National Invention Convention in Washington, DC in June.
  • In 2017, it is anticipated that OaIC will send a much larger delegation of its top achievers to represent Oregon at this prestigious event.
  • Teacher attendance at Nationals
    • There may be opportunities for teachers to travel as chaperones to the National Invention Convention. Stay tuned for details.
“All Kids Are Inventors”