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Florida Invention Convention Encourages Student Innovation

The STEMI Coalition

The Florida Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo is pushing the envelope for students interested in STEM subjects.

“Whereas STEM is very straight sense, science, technology, engineering, and math, STEMIE takes it that next step further,” says Tracy Zuluaga, Executive Director of Bright Young Minds Coalition. STEMIE adds emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship on to the traditional STEM curriculum.

Participants ages K-12 complete the entire eight step invention process, including pitching their idea and building a prototype, individually or with a team. The winners from the Florida competition will be invited to participate in the National and Global Convention in Dearborn, Michigan.

The goal of the event is to teach students problem solving skills in a new and creative way.

The convention is also partnered with Bright Young Minds, The STEMIE Coalition, and Pinellas Technical College.

“We are looking for young innovators, inventors, and entrepreneurs to have sought out a problem in their life, or usually ends up being someone in their life, and set out to create a solution for it,” says Zuluaga.

Registration is currently open for those interested in participating. The Florida Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo will take place on May 4th and 5th in St. Petersburg.

Ashley Schiedenhelm is a WUSF/USF Zimmerman School Digital News Reporter for the spring of 2018.
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