• Did you get invited to represent your school?

  • Ask your teacher or coordinator for the password to register! Registration Page 

  • You must fill out the registration form on the Registration Page AND officially register on zFairs by March 3, 2025

• Where do I get the link to zFairs?

  • Once you fill out the registration form on the Registration Page you will be emailed the zFairs link. The email will come from scienceresourceteachers@tusd.org within 48hrs. 

• When is the deadline to register?

• You MUST have a zFairs account made by 11:59pm on March 3rd, 2025

  • You can edit any uploaded materials (log, pitch video, pictures of board) in zFairs until March 5th, 2025

  • What information should I include?

• What information should I include in my project?

  • Must have a Inventors Log, Display Board, Prototype, Pitch Video

  • See Rubrics for Details

  • File Types: 

    • PDF's work best for high quality images (link for how to take photos from your phone and upload them as PDF's)

    • MP4 or MOV files for videos

• I'm working with a team, do all team members need to register?

  • YES! All members need to fill out the registration form on the Registration Page AND officially register on zFairs by March 3, 2025. 

  • The FIRST team member to register will get a zFairs project ID. This will be shared with the other team members who will enter this information after creating their own username and password on zFairs. Only one student will need to upload the documentation and it will be seen in all linked accounts. Any team member can edit or change the uploaded materials. The most current upload will be present in all team members accounts. 

• What types of files are accepted? 

  • Display Board: PDF (sample of multiple images into one PDF)

  • Images: PDF (suggestions: up close images of the prototype

  • Logbook: PDF (how to scan your log book using an iPhone tutorial)

  • Pitch Video: MP4, MOV, PNG/JPEG (good option for large files. Upload your video as a private YouTube OR into your google drive, then create a QR code/shortened link and place the image into the pitch video spot (SAMPLE). You can also put the link into the caption of the image placed here) This is not ideal but serves as a good workaround when your video won't upload or the file is too large.

• How do I convert photos to PDF's?

  • Here is a Guide for Converting Photos to PDF's 

• When does judging take place?

  • Judges begin to review submitted materials through zFairs immediately after registration closes. The student will NOT be interviewed online. 

  • In-person judging takes place at El Camino College on Saturday, March 29th, 2025 between 8:00am-12:00pm. Students must be present during their interview time.

    • Exact Interview times were emailed on Tuesday, March 25th, 2025 from scienceresourceteachers@tusd.org

    • See Event Details for more information

• How should I prepare for in-person judging?

  • Prepare your in-person pitch. This can be very similar to your recorded pitch. Make sure to include a demonstration of how your invention works/would work. Also be sure to include information about the originality of your invention. 

• Volunteers and Sponsors are a critical part of the California Invention Convention! Volunteering with a group of co-workers, or as an individual, there are lots of fun opportunities to help our students invent the future! 

• No experience necessary!

• If you would like to judge, please register here!

• If you would like to volunteer, please fill out this form – we would be honored to have you on our team.

• If you or someone you know would like to sponsor a portion of this event please fill out this form here! 

General Agenda

• Pick Up Registration Materials** (badge, t-shirt, awards ceremony tickets, wristbands) (allow 20 minutes prior to judging time)

  • **If you come on Friday, March 28th between 1:00pm-4:00pm to pick up your registration materials (drive through pick up in Lot J See Map Here) then you can proceed directly to the North Gym at your judging time on Saturday. 

• Go to the North Gym for Judging (exact times will be emailed by 4pm on 3/26/25)

• Enjoy the Innovation Festival (no need to register separately, it is included in your CAIC registration)

• Public Display (2:45-3:15pm)*please be in front of your project during this time

• Awards Ceremony (Doors open around 3:15pm)

• Take project home

• Login to your zFairs account. See this sheet for details. 

Confirmed school districts for the 2025 Invention Convention:

• American Martyrs School

• Anaheim Unified

• The Archer School for Girls

• Cardiff School District

• Compton Unified School District

• Culver City Unified School District

• El Segundo Unified School District

• Francis Parker School

• Fountain Valley School District

• Hawthorne School District

• Holy Trinity School

• Inglewood Unified School District

• Julia Lee Performing Arts

• Lake Elsinore Unified School District

• Lawndale School District

• Lennox School District

• Los Angeles Unified School District

• Lucia Mar Unified School District

• Manhattan Beach Unified School District

• Newport Mesa Unified School District

• Our Lady of Guadalupe

• Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District

• Palisades Charter High School

• Redondo Beach Unified School District

• Torrance Unified School District

• San Bernadino County

• San Diego County

• San Diego Unified School District

• South Bay Christian School

• South Pasadena High School

• St. Catherine Laboure

• St. Emydius Catholic School

• St. Michael's School

• The Webb Schools

Teams are allowed to participate.

• Please note, if the team is selected for Nationals they will only be allowed to send a team of up to 4 members on. 

• Ask your teacher/school site first. If they are unable to answer your question you can contact:

TUSD Director of Curriculum: Katie Schenkelberg schenkelberg.katie@tusd.org

TUSD Science Resource Teachers: Colin and Marissa at scienceresourceteachers@tusd.org 

• Yes! Click the button below for some lesson plan ideas from Lemmelson, MIT.

• You will think of a problem in your life – or in your parents’ lives – or in your friends’ lives – that is annoying and needs solving.

• You will design a solution to this problem.  Your teacher or your parents or another adult can help, but you must do the work.  That includes research to make sure this invention doesn’t already exist!  Or if it does exist, how does your solution improve the existing invention?

• Along the way, you will keep an Inventor’s Log describing each step in your process.

• You will build the invention (but keep the cost down – using recycled materials etc.).  You can get help from an adult, but most of the work should be yours.

• You will make a display board that tells the story of your invention, what it does, who might use it and you will demonstrate and explain your invention in your classroom.

• You will also have the opportunity to demonstrate and explain your invention at an Invention Convention – at your school or even at the California Invention Convention.

Intellectual property (IP) rights refers to the legal rights given to the inventor or creator to protect their invention or creation for a certain period of time. These legal rights confer an exclusive right to the inventor/creator or his assignee to fully utilize their invention/creation for a given period of time.  From the first public presentation the inventor gives about their invention, they have 1 calendar year to protect their invention. On day 364 the inventor can decide to file a Provisional Patant which will buy the inventor one more year of protection, allowing them time to decide if they want to persue a Design Patent, or Full Utility Patent. After this time has elapsed, the invention is considered to be in the Public Domain and can no longer be protected by the inventor. There are many Patent lawyers in the area, and the California Intellectual Property Alliance can be used as a resource if a full patent is soemthing your inventor may be considering. 

• Fees will be based on district participation.   

• Each student determines the problem they want to solve based on issues they have experienced in their own lives.

• The solution is a real-world, practical invention of their own design.