Local students earn awards at Invention Convention nationals

The innovations of two local students have been recognized at the national level.

Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy seventh grader Emily Laddy and North Idaho STEM Charter Academy fourth grader Hudson Carleton earned awards at the 2025 RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals, held June 4-6 at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Mich.

Emily was awarded first place in Working Models in the seventh-eighth grade category for her "Walk Safe" invention.

"'Walk Safe' isn’t just a sign, but a tool that can be used to help many people confidently walk across the street safely. My invention is different and unique," Emily said in a Wednesday news release. "There is nothing out there like 'Walk Safe.' 'Walk Safe' is a flexible sign that can fit in your pocket or it can be attached to a stroller, bicycle, backpack or a person. It is lightweight and can be used anywhere at any time. The sign has a reflective design that is eye-catching for drivers. The nighttime sign has been tried and tested to help drivers see pedestrians at night."

Hudson was awarded first place in Non-Working Models in the third-fourth grade category for his invention, "Garage Blanket."

"'Garage Blanket,' a fire suppression tool, will help avoid firefighter deaths, 400 injuries and $457,000,000 in property losses each year," Hudson said in the news release. "It will also protect people who own electric cars, e-bikes, e-scooters, Onewheels, from the dangers of lithium-ion battery fires and help those with workshops and tools in their garages.

"My self-deploying system buys time in a dangerous fire, smothers and slows the spread of thermal runaway energy, automatically notifies firefighters of unknown dangers and decreases toxic runoff," he said. "'Garage Blanket' is essential in many locations: homes, shops, commercial buildings, apartment bike storage areas, parking garages, cargo ships and more."

Hudson and Emily were among 70 award-winning K-12 inventors from across the country who were celebrated during the June 6 awards ceremony hosted by Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation correspondent Albert Lawrence.

The ceremony also featured a keynote from aerospace engineer, Blue Origin NS-31 crew member, former NASA rocket scientist and founder and CEO of STEMBoard Aisha Bowe. More than 80 awards, including cash prizes, trophies, medals and patent applications, were presented.

Invention Convention programs develop tomorrow’s innovative problem-solvers, inventors and entrepreneurs. Students are challenged to create novel solutions to problems through hands-on, real-world, project-based learning.

Students compete at local and regional levels before advancing to the national competition. To participate, students must submit video presentations of their inventions, prototypes, inventor’s logbooks showing their invention processes and poster boards highlighting key points of those processes.

    North Idaho STEM Charter Academy fourth grader Hudson Carleton won first place in the Non-Working Models third-fourth grade category for his invention, "Garage Blanket," at the RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals.