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Every year, we get to watch elementary, middle, and high school students take a problem they’ve noticed in their own lives and turn it into something real. This November, the rest of the nation gets to watch too.

A new episode of the Telly Award-winning series Tomorrow’s World Today will air November 7 and 8, 2026, on the Science and Discovery channels. The episode follows the 2026 Inventionland Education National Invention Contest and features several student teams that impressed our judges this year.

The Winners

Grove City Area Middle School in Grove City, Pennsylvania, took first and second place in the middle school division and also earned our grand school prize, a Cricut Explore 5.

🥇 Stash & Sparkle, created by Mary Frengel, Paytyn Bennett, Ayla Wagurak, and Marley Lindh, took first place. It clips onto the zipper inside a purse or backpack and keeps necklaces from tangling or being lost. Anyone who has ever pulled a knotted chain out of a bag knows exactly why this one stood out.

🥈Second place went to Snap & Stay, developed by Beka Hazy and Alida O’Brien. It attaches to a hanger and stops clothes from sliding off. Simple, useful, and the kind of idea that makes people ask why it didn’t already exist.

🥉Third place went to Playful Paws, invented by seventh graders Genevieve Veri, Ellianna Reese, and Ouriana Chornick of Neshannock Middle School in the Neshannock Township School District. Their Playful Paws Harness is a lightweight, breathable dog harness made from soft mesh and smooth silk, designed to keep a dog’s fur from frizzing and tangling where the straps rub. Dog owners who have spent time brushing out matted fur after a walk will appreciate the thinking behind it.

How the Students Got There

Our curriculum is built around a nine-step inventing method. Students start by picking an everyday problem. They research what’s already on the market, build a prototype, test it, fix what doesn’t work, and then present their invention: how it works and who would buy it. Teachers guide the process, but the students own the ideas and the decisions.

At Grove City, that work happens in the Innovation Science course taught by Karen Garland and Ben English, with support from principal Larry Connelly. It’s the second year in a row Grove City teams have claimed the top two spots in the Middle School division. In 2025, The Untie Not by Olivia Adams and Samantha Preist placed first, and The Needle Guard by Ethan Cooke, Elijah Lawson, and Gavin Purdy placed second. Both teams signed licensing agreements.

Sometimes a classroom idea makes it to store shelves. Grove City students Mia Mertz and Madison Mulato invented the No Cry™ Hair Tie, which Jokari brought to market and now sells on Amazon and other retail sites.

Tune In

Catch the Invention Contest episode of Tomorrow’s World Today on Saturday, November 7, at 10 a.m. EST on the Science Channel, or Sunday, November 8, at 8:30 a.m. EST on the Discovery Channel.

Congratulations to every student who entered this year. We can’t wait to see what you invent next.