After qualifying in regional Invent Idaho competitions, 110 young inventors throughout Idaho competed again at the state level over the weekend at the University of Idaho.

“Congratulations to all of our Invent Idaho participants!” said Beth Brubaker, Invent Idaho co-founder and state director. “What an exciting, creative weekend. From the ice cream social and fantastic University of Idaho tours and activities, to Alex Knoll’s inspirational presentation … and of course, the awards.”

Proud parents packed their cars with kids, clothes and science display boards to spend their weekend at the competition in the hopes their students could place at state or qualify again for the nationals.

“We’re pretty stoked,” said Scott Thompson, executive director and co-founder of North Idaho STEM Charter Academy. “They get to go from winning regional, to state, to nationals — the ponds keep getting bigger."

Select winners were invited to progress to the nationals Invent Idaho competition in Dearborn Mich., or to exhibit their Inventions in a U of I Expo, alongside projects from the College of Engineering students.

"We're looking into travel arrangements," said Corina Brown, student competitor Augustus Brown's mother.

Augustus, 11, placed second in the Jules Vern category and will travel to Dearborn to compete. He's a North Idaho STEM student competing for his second time at state level, and now his first time nationally.

North Idaho STEM Charter Academy alone had seven competitors qualify to go to nationals or exhibit at the U of I Expo, which is the most qualifiers of any school in attendance and roughly a quarter of the 27 total qualifiers.

Three inventors from Kootenai County, Mia Stroh, Nora Owen and Allison McCormick, were invited to display their inventions at the U of I Expo alongside the College of Engineering seniors. Stroh from North Idaho STEM, and McCormick from Garwood Elementary, earned both an invitation to Nationals and to the Expo.

“It’s a testament to how hard they worked,” Thompson said. “It’s fun when hard work is rewarded. This is what we want for kids — it’s about results.”

First through third place winners were chosen by grade levels from each of five categories including: adaptations, Jules Verne, games and gadgets, working models and non-working models. The best-of-show and best-of-category awards were the top projects for all grade levels.

Kootenai County students took home nearly half of all wins in the state competition, including best in show, four best-in-category awards and four first-place awards.

The national convention will be held June 7-9 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., which coincides with around the last week of school.

“I think we’ll call that an excused absence,” Thompson said.

Sadly he won’t be able to go, he’s got a school to run.

The full list of local winners is below.

Local students going on to nationals

• Hollyn Kramer from North Idaho STEM: best of show, grades 1-4

• Allison McCormick from Garwood Elementary: best of adaptations category

• Mia Stroh from North Idaho STEM: best of working models category and people’s choice award

• Elizabeth McCormick from Lakeland Middle School: first place in games and gadgets, grades 7-8

• Mina Kim from Hayden Meadows: first place in non-working models, grades 3-4

• Augustus Brown from North Idaho North Idaho STEM: second place in Jules Verne, grades 5-6

• Gauge Burt from North Idaho STEM: second place in non-working models, grades 5-6

• Asher Johnson from Winton Elementary: third place in non-working models, grades 1-2

• Matthew Gardiner from North Idaho STEM: third place in working models, grades 7-8

• Olivia Graybeal from North Idaho STEM: Invitation non-working models grades 3-4

• Naomi Platt from North Idaho STEM: Invitation working models grades 7-8

Local students invited to attend the University of Idaho Expo

• Allison McCormick from Garwood Elementary: best of adaptations category

• Mia Stroh from North Idaho STEM: best of working models category and people’s choice award

• Nora Owen from Bryan Elementary: first place in adaptations grades 3-4

Local students who placed at state level

• Andrea Patterson of North Idaho STEM: best of Jules Verne category

• Daniel Gourley from North Idaho North Idaho STEM: best of games and gadgets category

• Ryan Snook from Hayden Meadows: first place in adaptations, grades 1-2

• Levi Clark from Hayden Meadows: first place in Jules Verne, grades 3-4

• Kiya Backman from Lakeland Middle School: first place in games and gadgets, grades 5-6

• Branson Morse from North Idaho STEM: first place in adaptations, grades 7-8

• Everett Talbot from Hayden Meadows: second place in games and gadgets, grades 1-2

• Landen Carhart from North Idaho STEM: second place in non-working models, grades 1-2

• Micah Brumbach from Summit Christian Academy: second place in Jules Verne, grades 3-4

• Brian McNamee from Dalton Elementary: second place in working models, grades 3-4

• Analise Garcia from Hayden Meadows: second place in working models, grades 5-6

• Temperance Bilski from North Idaho STEM: second place in non-working models, grades 7-8

• Crew Randklev from Fernan STEM Academy: third place in games and gadgets, grades 1-2

• Alexander Apodaca from Hayden Meadows: third place for working models, grades 1-2

• Faith Schultz from Dalton Elementary: third place in adaptations, grades 3-4

• Miles Haas from Winton Elementary: third place in games and gadgets, grades 3-4

• Aliyah Gonzales from Hayden Meadows: third place for working models, grades 3-4

• Elizabeth Upshaw from North Idaho STEM: third place in adaptations, grades 5-6

• Emily Laddy from Skyway Elementary: third place in games and gadgets, grades 5-6

• Harlie Jackson from Winton Elementary: third place in working models, grades 5-6