Full Circle: How Invention Convention Sparked a Mother’s Confidence

When Dani Collins walked into Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation this past summer with her young son Oliver, it was more than just a proud mom moment. It was a full-circle experience — one that began in the early 1990s when she herself stood in a judging circle as a student inventor at Invent Iowa.

Dani Collins and her son Oliver at RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals 2025.

“I was at Nixon Elementary in Cedar Rapids,” she recalls. “I did two years of Invent Iowa — one year I worked on a group invention that turned heels into flats, and the next year I created a zipper plow to keep your hoodie zipper from catching. That was back in fourth and fifth grade, but I still remember the feeling of being taken seriously by adults, being asked to explain my ideas. It was my first experience speaking in public like that.”

Fast forward a few decades, and Dani’s now a software developer — still using many of the same creative problem-solving and prototyping skills she learned back in elementary school. “I do a lot of front-end prototyping in my job,” she says. “What we’re doing with kids in these invention programs is totally relevant — it teaches perseverance, design thinking and clear communication.”

Now, her son Oliver is continuing the tradition. As a student participant in the 2025 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals at The Henry Ford, he proudly presented his invention: the Recessed Quest — a tool that pushes seatbelt buckles away from recessed booster seats.

“I first had the problem in my grandad’s car and again on a vacation to California,” Oliver explained. “The booster seat covers up the buckle, and my mom had to break her fingernails trying to buckle me in. So I made something to fix that.”

To get there, Oliver did field research — with help from neighbors (paid in Tootsie Pops, naturally), collected angle measurements, and refined his design using SketchUp, a 3D modeling program his mom helped him learn. The final version of his invention was 3D-printed and tested — just like a professional prototype.

Dani beams with pride: “He drove the entire process himself. After the state competition, he kept refining it. He interviewed safety experts, did more testing, and iterated based on what he learned. That level of tenacity and incremental improvement — those are the real skills invention education builds.”

As a mom who once wore the title of “young inventor” herself, Dani now brings both perspective and practical support to the experience.

“We sat down at the beginning and mapped out work time. We used timers and task lists so Oliver could manage his progress. It’s a big project for a young kid — but we treated it like any other serious commitment. And we let him lead.”

When asked what advice she’d give other parents whose children are just getting started in invention, Dani’s answer is simple: “Let them pick a topic they care about. If it’s their idea, they’ll put in the work.”

Oliver agrees — he started with three invention ideas, including an app to help with gardening and a tool to prevent glasses from falling off. But he chose the Recessed Quest because “it was the one I really wanted to do.”

At RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals 2025, Oliver earned 3rd place in the 2nd grade and the Transportation Award.

The duo’s journey is a powerful reminder of what invention education can offer — not just to students, but to entire families.

And what’s next for Oliver? “I want to be an engineer and scientist,” he says. “Right now I’m working on plans to build a robot that can play with me.”

His mom laughs. “We’ve already started listing the parts he’ll need. I might have to help code it.”

Whether it’s a plow for a hoodie zipper or a booster seat solution, invention is more than just a school project — it’s a way of thinking that lasts a lifetime. Dani and Oliver’s story proves that when creativity runs in the family, there’s no limit to what can be invented next.

Learn more about Invention Convention Worldwide by visiting inventionconvention.org.

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