A team of engineerin
g students from El Segundo High School (ESHS) earned first place at the California Invention Convention at El Camino College on March 23, securing a spot in the RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals.
The ESHS team led by the engineering teacher Mr. Daniel Horvath included Quinn Gregory, Conrad Hoffman, Volodymyr Droviazko, Michal Sochur, and Daniel Tritasavit. Their collaborative effort qualified them for the national competition, set for June at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
To participate in the California Invention Convention, students collaborated to create and design an invention that solves a problem of their choosing. Open to students from kindergarten through 12th grade, the competition serves as a platform for growing problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and creativity skills, fostering confidence in innovation and entrepreneurship.
The ESHS students created a working prototype of a Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellite, capable of capturing high resolution imagery at a low orbit. This satellite is designed to quickly spot and accurately locate wildfires, as well as other situations where clear pictures are necessary.
Requirements for submission included creating a prototype, maintaining an invention log detailing each step in the invention process, creating a display board with relevant information, and producing a four to six-minute video demonstrating the invention.
This year's California Invention Convention received 3,500 submissions. Sixty winners were selected, spanning all grade levels, with 15 groups advancing to the national RTX Invention Convention.
“We are extremely proud of our students’ performance at the California Invention Convention,” said Steve Gebhart, El Segundo High School Principal. “Throughout the invention process, these students have demonstrated their creativity and problem-solving abilities. They have gained valuable hands-on, real-world experience that will benefit them for years to come.”
To learn more about the national RTX Invention Convention, please visit https://inhub.thehenryford.org/icw/competitions/us-nationals-landing.