News
Learning about innovation
Scott Wagar
03/20/2012
More than 300 students and volunteers participated in the 2012 Market Place for Kids event on March 12 at Dakota College at Bottineau where fourth through six grade students where given the opportunity to exhibit some of their own innovations and learn about private enterprise.
“Market Place for Kids is a program that peaks the interest in entrepreneurship, innovation and invention,” said Amiee Erdman, chair of Market Place for Kids at Dakota College at Bottineau. “The students have the opportunity to present their own entrepreneurial invention ideas. This year, there were some really amazing inventions. And, outside of students’ innovations, they also had tons of classes to get their creative juices flowing.”
Market Place for Kids’ theme this year was “Fast forward to the future with innovation,” which brought six schools from Bottineau, Newburg, Westhope, Rugby, Rolla and Belcourt to DCB’s campus where the students presented 78 different inventions and had nine entrepreneurial classes to attend.
When it came to innovations, some of the projects included fish hook caps, skate snuggies, a levitating car, radio disco ball, and a pruler, which was a pencil and ruler in one.
The courses included: “Turn Your Hobby into Cash,” “Brush Bot & Beyond,” “Nutritious Food is Delicious Food,” “Emergency! Call Us at 911!” “Tree Sticks Tell Time,” “Life in the Career of Law Enforcement,” “Hands on Health Care! It’s the Doctor’s Orders,” “How One Person’s Love for Dogs, Babies, and of Learning Changed the World… All While Overcoming Great Obstacles,” and “Greenhouse Adventure.”
In some of these courses, the students were able to create such merchandise as a wooden calendar stick, a robotic toothbrush and the opportunity to plant flowers and take them home with them.
Erdman stated that she was pleased how Market Place for Kids went this year.
“It was another good year. The event went really well,” Erdman said. “The students were busy around campus and were enjoying their time here, while learning a great deal on innovation.”
Although Market Place for Kids at DCB is solely an educational event, but the students who attended will now have the chance to take their inventions to the North Dakota State Fair’s “Bright Ideas Showcase and Contest,” where they can earn cash awards and learn even more about the entrepreneurial spirit.