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A new storage device for school lockers could be coming soon to a store near you after a local student’s idea won one of the Best in Show awards at the 2017 National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo (NICEE).
J.C. Booth Middle eighth grader Katie Barry, and a student in the school’s STEM program, won the Stanley Black and Decker Most Innovative Award for her invention called “ The Locker Hammock.” Katie’s invention is a redesign of the standard locker shelf consisting of fabric and suction cups. The fabric gives the shelf the flexibility to fit neatly in most lockers while the suction cups allow the shelf to attach firmly to the interior walls, providing more storage space in the locker.
In addition to winning the Most Innovative Award, Katie also took first place in her grade level, and won the Household Organization Award and the Best Log Book Award.
Katie’s invention was included in the expo after taking first place in the 2017 K-12 InVenture Challenge at Georgia Tech. Only students who won underlying competitions in their states were invited to attend the national contest.
More than 300 students representing 16 states competed, and a total of 52 individual awards were presented.
The National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo was held at the headquarters of the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia on June 1-3.
