A group of innovative young minds from Venture Academy has earned national recognition for their creativity, compassion, and commitment to solving real-world challenges. The school’s student InvenTeam has been awarded a prestigious $7,500 Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams® Grant, becoming one of only eight high schools in the entire country selected for the 2025–26 cohort. Their mission: to design a new invention that helps older adults retain or regain the ability to stand up from a seated position, a vital component of independence and quality of life.
Led by Math Teacher Ms. Alice Johnson and English Teacher Mr. Matt Brenner, the students spent the summer refining their proposal before submitting it to a panel of university professors, inventors, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and former InvenTeam members. Their selection places Venture Academy among an elite group of young inventors shaping the future of technology and human-centered design.
Inventing for Impact — A Solution Rooted in Community Need
The student team is tackling a challenge tied to aging: the gradual muscle loss that makes standing up difficult, often leading to a loss of independence and increased risks to emotional well-being. Their invention aims to support mobility and restore confidence for older adults — a problem strongly felt in the Stockton community and one the students are determined to address.
Over the next eight months, the team will work closely with Lemelson-MIT Invention Fellows Mr. Mike Carter and Ms. Katrina Hull while following a rigorous human-centered design process. Their work will culminate in a working prototype showcased first at a local technical review in February and later at EurekaFest® in June, MIT’s annual celebration of student inventors.
Supporters can follow the team’s journey on Instagram at @innovatewithlove.
A Program That Changes Lives
Lemelson-MIT’s InvenTeams initiative has a long history of empowering young inventors. Over 22 years, students have earned U.S. patents, collaborated with industry leaders, received pro bono support from top intellectual property law firms, and helped inform national STEM education practices. More than 4,000 students have participated in 312 InvenTeams, building solutions that improve lives across the country.
“The InvenTeams initiative has proven that all youth can invent when given the opportunity,” says Leigh Estabrooks, Invention Education Officer at Lemelson-MIT. “It’s an honor to work with such empathetic young people who care about making our lives safer, healthier, and more accessible.”
Stockton Pride: A New Generation of Innovators
For Venture Academy, this achievement goes beyond technical skills, it reflects the heart of students who care deeply about their community, especially Stockton’s elderly population. Through creativity, perseverance, and collaboration, these young inventors are showing what’s possible when schools, mentors, and community support come together.
Caravan News congratulates the Venture Academy InvenTeam on this remarkable accomplishment and looks forward to following their journey as they build an invention with the power to change lives