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Our creative design facility is always bursting with new designs, prototypes and products; but, last week, two groups of students from the DuBois Business College brought a little extra innovation to Inventionland.

As part of our interactive, 9-step inventing course developed out of our Education Division, the groups began their journey into real-world inventing at our creative space. After a lot of hard work in the classroom, they returned to Inventionland®last Thursday to present their class-culminating projects to our expert panel of judges.

Founder and CEO George Davison led the panel, which also included community innovators Bill Mitas, Les Lockerman, Jim Yedinak, Mark Sorka, and Carla Ryba.

The four DuBois Business College students, Rachael Westover, Vivianna Forrest, Janna Whitling and Kyle Concannon, divided into two teams that utilized STEM education and the nine-step inventing method that anchors our project-based course to bring two new product ideas to life: the Pak Bag and Pong Ready.

The Pak Bag took home top prize last Thursday, but the immediate feedback we’ve received from DuBois Business College representatives proves that everyone left Inventionland®as a winner!

Here’s a snippet of the feedback we’ve received so far:

“Thank you so much for making the day so special for our students… We always feel like part of the Inventionland®family every time we arrive. THANK YOU for the gracious hospitality shown to all of us. I really enjoyed watching the interaction and teamwork among the Inventionland®employees.

“I also appreciate [George] taking the time to interact with the students and give them feedback, as well as meeting with [our instructors]. We had our in-service on Friday and everyone was ‘buzzing’ about the great job with our students and the Inventionland®project.

“May we continue to see this enthusiasm GROW!”

– Jackie Syktich, DuBois Business College President/CEO

“I would [like to] thank you for everything on Thursday. I think it went quite well. Everyone here was so excited to hear what happened and was amazed on how well the two products turned out. They all loved the trophy… They are still pumped up from this experience.

“[We] are putting together plans for the next classes and how to make them as enjoyable as this one. You… have given us a lot of great ideas for the future and we can’t wait to do it again.

“Thanks again!”

– Darren Kite, DuBois Business College Instructor/Technology Assistant

It’s one thing to read about the overflowing innovation that the Inventionland®Education Division course can encourage; but, it is another thing to see that collaboration in action. We’ll share an exclusive video look inside the DuBois Business College’s Inventionland®presentations next week!