Palos 118 Students Win at 2026 Young Inventor Challenge

Two students from Palos School District 118 took home awards at the 2026 Young Inventor Challenge held in Rosemont in November.

The fourth-grade students in the Accelerated Learning Program at Palos East and Palos West Elementary Schools participated in the competition in the junior (K - 4^th grade) junior division.

This year’s winners included Vinny Cryns who won in the Most Marketable category for his game Buzz! and Blaine Wieczorek whose game Bumper Cars received the award for Best Potential.

The Young Inventor Challenge provides an opportunity for students ages 6 to18 to develop and pitch their original inventions to toy and game companies and other industry professionals.

The students developed their toys and games as part of the District’s Accelerated Learning Program for Students (ALPS) which is taught by Palos East Elementary teacher Julie McNamara and Palos West Elementary teacher Erin Gocke.

Both teachers remarked that their students’ participation in the Young Inventor Challenge is an invaluable learning experience as they get a chance to take an original idea and develop it into a working game. They said that the game challenge reinforces practices such as critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and leadership which they note are key skills for future success.

Palos East Elementary ALPS teacher Julie McNamara said that creating a new game isn’t an easy undertaking but each year she sees students rise to the challenge.

“When they pursue their interests and put their hearts into a project, success follows naturally,” said Mrs. McNamara, adding, “I’m always impressed by the confidence and determination our students show through competing in the Young Inventor Challenge as they create, improve, and share their ideas, building real-world skills that will benefit them long after the competition is over.”

Palos West ALPS teacher Erin Gocke said it was inspiring to see the dedication students brought to the game development process and watching their projects evolve over the course of the school year.

“I am so proud of the hard work, creativity, and perseverance the students demonstrated throughout the Young Inventor's Challenge. They developed innovative ideas, used feedback to improve their designs, and created fun, original games that everyone enjoyed. Through collaboration and teamwork, they made the experience a success, and I am incredibly proud of all they accomplished,” said Mrs. Gocke.