8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 25-JULY 1, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com 831 Ten-year-old Sophia Luquin wasn’t sure what after-school program to enroll in until she came across the Invention Convention program at Sherwood Elementary in Salinas. Her decision changed how her school year ended. “I decided to join because I was bored, and then it turned out that I ended up going to nationals for all the hard work I had put into it,” Luquin says. Luquin, along with other students in kindergarten through sixth grade from Salinas City Elementary School District, worked for months to turn a concept into a tangible product. For her invention, Luquin created a berry-picking tool, a scoop shaped like a mailbox with a blade, attached at the end of a long handle. Her grandparents were farmworkers, which inspired her to develop a device to improve working conditions. “They come from the agricultural environment and I noticed the longterm effects, especially with the back pain and how their posture just changes over time,” Luquin says. Invention Convention is a program the Hartnell College Foundation offers for K-12 students in the Salinas Valley along with NASA MUREP Aerospace Academy for high school students, NASA Saturday academies for K-6 and intro to coding and robotics. Students’ projects varied depending on their age and interests. Those included a blanket designed to reduce tossing and turning during sleep, and a shoe that changes temperatures. They were tasked with creating an invention that answers three questions: Who is the end user? Has it been created before? What problem does it solve? Luquin made several prototypes and tested them in strawberry fields at Antonio Gonzalez Farm and then made adjustments so users could use the tool without having to lean forward too much. “The first prototype was like a little plastic bag with a string under it,” Luquin says. The final design evolved to include the scooper shape. “I honestly hope that my invention will be able to become a real product,” she adds. Locally, 89 projects entered the Invention Convention showcase at Hartnell College in March. Of those, 22 students and 18 projects were selected to attend the California Invention Convention for Northern and Central California in Sacramento in April. Luquin was the only student from SCESD to qualify for the National Invention Convention in Dearborn, Michigan, at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in early June. “I was actually in shock when we were watching the video from Sacramento, that said she was a finalist and was invited to Michigan,” Luquin’s mother, Hermelinda Villareal, says. “Going all the way cross-country is something new, we’ve never flown before, so this is definitely going to be an exciting time for us, because we’re experiencing something new that we’ve never done before.” For Luquin, the Invention Convention was more than an activity: “I found my real passion,” she says. Lupita Arroyo-Lozano, K-12 STEAM Program coordinator at Hartnell College Foundation, says the judging metrics in Sacramento and Dearborn were different. For Sacramento, students didn’t need working prototypes, but they had to show a clear understanding and explanation of their product. In Michigan, however, expectations were higher and working prototypes could give students an advantage. The National Invention Convention was eye-opening for Arroyo-Lozano, who was attending it for the first time. “I was able to see what could happen potentially for our students here in Salinas,” she says. While Luquin didn’t place at the national level along with more than 500 K-12 students, Arroyo-Lozano says Luqin showed a lot of perseverance when she presented her project. Next year, the after-school program, based on feedback, will separate students into two groups, focusing on younger and older students. It will also form a club so the young inventors will have more opportunities to work on and finish their projects. Arroyo-Lozano says the Hartnell College Foundation is open to expanding the program. “We want other students to feel like Sophia,” she says. Show and Tell An after-school program expands kids’ creativity as they create solutions for everyday challenges. By Celia Jiménez “I found my real passion.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE CELIA JIMÉNEZ Sherwood Elementary School student Sophia Luquin shows off her invention that aims to help reduce the back-breaking work of harvesting berries. She took her creation to the National Invention Convention in Michigan. July 23 Business Excellence Awards Celebrating the best in business October 28 Monterey Bay Business Expo Meaningful business connections September 18 Leadership Luncheon Inspiring leaders strengthening our community See the full calendar & register at montereychamber.com SAVE DATES the CONNECT. GROW. BELONG.
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