Georgia Students Invent Pet Tracker and Makeup Robot

Students across Georgia just proved that the best solutions to everyday problems come from fresh perspectives and genuine care.

On Friday, young inventors flooded Thomas County Academy's gymnasium to compete in the K-12 InVenture Prize Competition. They weren't just showing off science projects. They were pitching real solutions to problems they'd noticed in their communities.

Fifth graders Andi Smith and Aubrey Collins took first place in the middle school category with Pet's Life, an app that tracks stray animals through microchips. Both girls had rescued stray cats before and couldn't shake the feeling that more animals needed help.

Their app goes beyond simple tracking. It monitors animal health so shelters can be contacted when a stray looks sick or malnourished. It even connects donors with animals who need food or medical care.

"We both see strays a lot, and I feel really bad, so we wanted to build an app to save strays," Collins explained. The youngest competitors in their category, they're now setting their sights on the state competition with plans to actually launch the app in Thomas County.

In the elementary division, third graders Mercy McKinney and Brylee Griffin won first place for Eyeshadow Master. The makeup-loving students built a device from Legos, motors, and pure determination that automatically applies eyeshadow to eyelids.

"When they called our name, we about started crying," Griffin said. "We're going to State. I'm just speechless."

Other winning inventions included Burn-Be-Gone Slide Shield for younger students and creative solutions like the CPR (Chicken Poop Remover) for agriculture.

The Ripple Effect

Archbold Chief Human Resources Officer Stacey Hancock served as a judge and watched something special unfold. She saw students demonstrating empathy by listening to people's needs, persistence through multiple design attempts, and bravery in presenting their ideas to panels of adults.

These young inventors didn't just memorize facts or follow instructions. They identified problems around them, imagined better solutions, and built working prototypes. They learned to collaborate, manage time, and pitch ideas like seasoned entrepreneurs.

The competition teaches skills that extend far beyond the gymnasium. Students learn that their ideas matter and that age doesn't limit their ability to create meaningful change.

All winning teams now advance to the state competition at Georgia Tech in March. But the real prize might be the confidence these students gained and the problems they'll tackle next.

Because when fifth graders can build apps to save strays and third graders can engineer robotic makeup tools, there's no limit to what the next generation will create.