Connecticut Invention Convention WELLthy Life Lesson is what we had to learn as a family last Tuesday February 27th. The Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC) is an award winning, internationally recognized, 501(c)(3) educational organization started in 1983 as part of the Connecticut Educators Network for the Talented and Gifted.
The program is open to all K-8 students statewide, and is designed to develop, encourage, and enhance creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills through invention, innovation and entrepreneurship. Invention provides students with a unique means to discover new skill sets and creatively apply these in real-life settings while nurturing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Our 5th Grader worked so hard to develop a code-based invention and we couldn’t be more proud. You could see her passion for coding and it was evident that this STEM girl is destined to be a software engineer. We had to pull her off the computer because she wanted to give her very best.
Connecticut Invention Convention WELLthy Life Lesson started that Monday 2/26 when all the students K-4 from her school, including her very proud 2nd grade sister, came to view all the 5th graders’ inventions. Babygirl came home beaming that everyone was telling her that she would win for sure.
Connecticut Invention Convention WELLthy Life Lesson continued on Tuesday 2/27 when through the school’s judging process, student inventors are identified and registered to move on to one of four CIC Regional Invention Conventions. The suspense was so palpable as parents and students waited anxiously as the top 15% were being called.
Connecticut Invention Convention WELLthy Life Lesson was a tough blow and one lesson to learn because Babygirl’s name was not called. She looked at Hubby and I with teary eyes and did her best to congratulate her friends who made it to the next phase. My heart hurt so much for her because she worked so hard and February 27th was also her birthday.
Connecticut Invention Convention WELLthy Life Lesson is one that our resilient daughter taught us on her 11th birthday. We all got home that day and she needed some time alone. When she came out, she told us in the infectious smile we love her for that even though she is beyond disappointed that she did not win, she will continue to work on her project because she knew it is needed.
Connecticut Invention Convention WELLthy Life Lesson was based on one of Bishop T.D.Jakes interview by Steven Furtick titled “How to build your vision from the ground up” that we listened as a family. The life lesson teaches in T.D. Jakes’ words that:”If it’s not the thing, then it’s the thing that leads to the thing.”
Connecticut Invention Convention WELLthy Life Lesson stuck when Babygirl experience a major blow from not winning the Connecticut Invention Convention but she remembered that even though Connecticut Invention Convention is not the thing to showcase her invention, it’s definitely the thing that will lead to the thing because if it was not for the Connecticut Invention Convention, she would not have taken the time to put her invention in motion.
We couldn’t be more proud as we celebrated her on her birthday and she seemed to be at peace with the judges’ decision. We are raising girls who understand that life is not about perfection but how to learn to fail forward with grace. We also reminded her of Steve Jobs’ story from one of her favorite books Tech Titans when he was forced out of his own company Apple and went on to fund the computer graphics division of what we know now to be Pixar as a way to encourage her to see beyond Connecticut Invention Convention.
Connecticut Invention Convention WELLthy Life Lesson proved to be just what Babygirl needed to make her realize that all is not lost when you know you have not only given your best but to keep working at it until the next opportunity to present it opens up. That’s a WELLthy Life Lesson we could all use and here’s to living and learning to fail forward!
