BI-LO Invention Convention

The 11th Annual BI-LO Invention Convention was held in March 2009 at the BI-LO Center in Greenville, South Carolina. Produced by Clear Channel Media, the annual event is a competition for student inventors in grades four through eight in public and private schools throughout the Upstate region of South Carolina. Students present and explain their inventions to a large group of judges comprised of area business and community leaders, with first, second and third place awarded in each grade. Awards also are given to teachers and principals with the highest number of participating students and the most winners. The grand-prize winner receives a $1,000 scholarship donated by BI-LO grocery stores. In this video, Clear Channel Media's Leigh Ann DeYoung gives an overview of the 2009 event and shows viewers some of the interesting inventions including the Handy Helping Hat, the Nerve Tester, a solar-powered car lamp, Automatic Dog Feeder, My Stadium Blanket, and The Wake Machine. Also in this video, student inventor T.J. Goldsmith explains Text Thumbs, his invention that allows him to text as much as he wants without getting blisters on this thumbs. The 2010 BI-LO Invention Convention will be held next March at the BI-LO Center in Greenville, SC.