(BLOOMINGTON) – The Monroe County Community School Corporation has wrapped up their 4th Annual 4th Grade Maker Challenge.
For this year’s Maker Challenge, students designed an invention that improves the lives of the people in Bloomington during a pandemic.
This included drawings, models, and prototypes. Students also made creative stop motion videos to showcase their invention.
Fourth graders in the Monroe County Community School Corporation learned about simple machines, famous inventors, the history of innovation in Bloomington, and more in the months of November and December.
Students created innovations that improved the lives of the people in Bloomington in one of three ways: Health and Safety, Entertainment, and Community Building.
In addition to these three categories, finalists were also chosen for the best use of stop motion.
The School Corporation partnered with The Mill, a coworking space for innovators and entrepreneurs in Bloomington. The Mill provided a volunteer to partner with each school.
That volunteer met with fourth graders virtually three times covering innovation, brainstorming, and entrepreneurship. They also helped with school judging.
The Maker Challenge Virtual Showcase is today at 6 p.m. the public can access it here at that time, you may watch the showcase at a later time as well.
Overall Corporation Winners
Winner for Best Innovation: Community Building
Need Help/Give Help Website by Walt V. from Templeton Elementary – Walt created a website that matches people who need help during the pandemic with those who are able to give help. There are forms included for both groups to fill out. He also created a stop motion video to highlight the need for this service in the community.
Winner for Best Innovation: Entertainment
The Game Shaker by Madison S. from Childs Elementary – Students put their toys and games in this innovation. It shakes them up and delivers a random toy that has been freshly sanitized. This will help with boredom because kids will never know which toy is coming down the tube next.
Winner for Best Innovation: Health and Safety
The Dining Enclosure with Vacuum Tube and Pulley by Brendan F. from Templeton Elementary – This innovation is designed for restaurants to use to keep diners and servers safe. The enclosure will raise and lower over the table using a pulley system, and there is also a vacuum tube attached to remove the air from the restaurant as people eat without masks.
Winner for Best Use of Stop Motion
Miranda’s Mart by Miranda R. from Grandview Elementary – This innovation is designed to safely deliver groceries to your home using an underground tube system. Neighborhoods can purchase this food delivery system to get groceries without ever going to the store.
Individual school winners are listed below.
