If you are the PARENT of a student in grades 4 to 8 going to the CIC Finals on April 30, please print and read this information, including this Photo/Video Permission Form.
SPECIAL REQUEST- WE NEED YOUR HELP: We have been sending emails to all the parents and teachers of all registered students, but we know that due to spam filters, not all of our messages are getting through. So, If you know of a student who has been registered for the CIC Finals, please ask them if they have gotten this information. If they haven't, then please give them a copy of this message and the Photo/Video Permission Form.
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Hello 2016 Connecticut Invention Convention Inventor!
Congratulations on being selected to participate in the 33rd Annual Connecticut Invention Convention! We can't wait to welcome you and hundreds of other student inventors in grades K-8 to the University of Connecticut in Storrs, on Saturday,
April 30, 2016, starting with Check-In at 7:30 am in Gampel Pavilion, UConn, Storrs.
Keep this email for your reference.
SCHEDULE
Here are the highlights of the day.
7:30 - 9:00 am Inventor Check-In and display set-up
10:00 - 10:30 am Opening Ceremony
10:30 - 12:00 pm Judging Circles
12:00 - 1:30 pm Public Viewing of inventions
1:30 - 3:30 pm Awards Ceremony
FOOD AND LUNCH
According to Gampel policy, outside food and water are NOT allowed inside of the building. This rule will be enforced by UConn staff and you will not be allowed to bring any outside food or water into the Gampel building.
However, there are a few food options:
GAMPEL CONCESSIONS: The concession booths at Gampel will be open and offer a variety of food and snacks for sale.
STUDENT UNION: The Student Union across the street (Hillside Road) has a wide variety of quick-serve restaurants in the first floor Food Court.
FOOD TRUCKS: Some food trucks will be parked outside of Gampel and will offer a limited variety of foods for sale.
CO-OP CAFE: There is a small cafe in the Co-Op building next to Gampel that has food for sale.
PICNIC LUNCH: You can bring your own packed lunch to UConn,
but you can not bring it into the Gampel building. One option is to leave the packed lunch in your car or bus and get it at lunch time
UNLOADING AND PARKING
CARS: If you are coming by car, the best thing to do would be to park in Lot 9 and walk up Hillside Road to Gampel. Or your can drive past Gampel on Hillside Road, take the first right on to Calhoun Way and turn left into the South Parking Garage, where you can park for $5. (cash only, payable on entry). When in doubt, ask the CIC Volunteers in yellow shirts for help.
BUS: There is a special place for buses to unload. All buses should drive down Hillside Road, go past Gampel and take a right on Calhoun Way. Look for the signs and the CIC volunteers in yellow shirts, who will direct the buses where to go to unload.
SPECIAL NEEDS: There are ADA compliant parking spaces in front of the Student Union and within the South Garage.
If you truly have trouble walking or you have a very heavy invention, you can unload in the coned area at the side of Gampel Pavilion on Calhoun Way. But you can NOT park or even spend any small length of time idling there. All you will be allowed to do is unload the car and then drive away to park.
INVENTOR CHECK-IN
- Arrive between 7:30 and 9:00 am
- Please remember to bring your invention, display board, invention logbook and photo/video permission form.
- Once you get to Gampel with your invention, find the Check-In entrance labeled with the first letter of your last name.
- There are 3 different entrances to the building:
A to F (South Entrance)
G to O (East entrance)
P to Z (North entrance)
- Look for the signs indicating which entrance to use. Your Check-In materials are at the entrance designated by the first letter of your last name.
- Once you have checked in, you will be given a Check-In envelope containing a program book, the location of your Judging Circle, information about getting your T-shirt and further directions.
All students attending the CIC Finals must turn in this filled out and signed Photo/Video Permission form when they Check-In on the event day. This form is their admittance ticket and without it, they will NOT be admitted to the event or allowed to compete in the program. Please print out this form and make sure that all parents/guardians get it and understand that that their students must have it with them when they come to
the CIC Finals.
SET UP
- Set up your invention at your assigned Circle which is printed on the label of your Check-In envelope. A floor diagram showing the locations of all the Circles is in the program book in the envelope.
- Keep your invention size and weight reasonable because the stairs are steep and there is not a convenient elevator for this purpose. You will have to carry it down stairs. Make a smaller model, if needed.
- Students will share table space with 8 fellow inventors. Please be courteous with spacing by placing large inventions on the floor. DURING YOUR JUDGING TIME, YOU MAY OPEN UP YOUR DISPLAY FOR BETTER VIEWING. After your invention is judged, allow your neighbor the same privilege.
- Electrical outlets will be available only at selected locations. If your invention requires electricity, please bring a long extension cord (at least 10' long or longer) and power strip, just in case.
- Inventions relating to animals may NOT include live animals. You may bring a TOY animal to demonstrate the use, if you wish.
- Liquids are not permitted. If your invention involves liquids, then just pretend that the liquid is there or take a picture or video before hand to show the judges.
- Once your invention and display is set up, you should take your Check-In envelope to the T-shirt stand upstairs at the West entrance to get your T-shirt.
- Then take your Scavenger Hunt form from your Check-In envelope and follow the instructions to get your UConn hat.
- You can also use your free time to visit all the other inventions and the exciting engineering displays.
OPENING CEREMONY
The opening ceremony begins at 10 am. Please sit in seats facing the podium and enjoy the remarks.
JUDGING CIRCLE PERIOD
PARENTS AND TEACHERS:
Judging Circles are held 10:30 am to 12 noon. Parents may remain in Gampel, but can not be on the Judging Circle floor. Call us by Wednesday 4/27 to discuss any special arrangements that may be necessary. For security reasons, we do not allow students to leave the J
udging Circles unless escorted by one of our volunteers. So, please have students use "the facilities" before judging. After the Judging period is over, students must be picked up at their Judging Circles by parents or chaperones.
INVENTORS:
Judging at CIC is very interactive. The entire group of inventors and judges will look at and discuss each invention together. Be ready to tell how you got your idea, how you developed the invention, and any problems you had along the way. This period is really a "sharing of ideas", rather than a "judging."
SPECTATORS
The CIC Finals is free for anyone to attend as a spectator. Parents, siblings, relatives, friends and teachers are all welcome. Bring everyone to share in the fun and excitement.
AWARDS CEREMONY
At 1:30 pm, the Awards Ceremony will begin. Recognized Inventors from each Judging Circle are announced as well as the many Sponsor Award winners.
PARENTS, FAMILIES AND TEACHERS:
Sit in any of the upper or side section seats facing the podium. If you sit in the back of Gampel, you will not be able to see or hear what is happening.
INVENTORS:
Sit as close as possible to the front of the center lower section in order to come to the podium quickly, if your name is called. Remember, the top inventors of local conventions are selected to attend this convention, so all of the students are already winners in our eyes and will each will leave the event with a T-shirt and hat which you can wear proudly back at school! This year's convention will be bigger and better than ever with almost 1,000 i
nventors. We are looking forward to meeting all of you and hope that your experience will be rewarding and valuable.
NEED TO LEAVE EARLY?
If you need to leave early, you can take your invention anytime BEFORE 1:15 pm when the Awards Ceremony begins. Once the Awards Ceremony has started, you will NOT be allowed on the Judging Circle floor to get your invention. If you do need to go, then plan ahead and act before 1:15 pm.
QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS
If you have any questions,
call our CIC voice mailbox at
860-793-5299 and leave a message
with your day and evening phone numbers. (Please say the numbers slowly and clearly.)
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