It honors the memory of R.G. LeTourneau, university founder, engineer and an inventor who was granted 316 U.S. patents. Dr. Berdine Jones and Mr. Richard Berry were Honorary Judges. The contest is held annually in conjunction with National Engineers Week. The largest invention contest in the United States, the Sprint PCS LeTourneau University Invention and Design Contest will be open to the public from Tuesday, February 20th to Thursday, February 22nd. The contest is primarily designed to feature children s inventions, but draws adult inventors from around the nation.
Entrants compete for cash and other prizes.
Inventions range from the very practical to the whimsical. Debbie Reyna, an adult entrant from Gladewater, Texas, created Self-Sorting Socks. This is a time saver for laundry day, notes Reyna on her entry form. The devise is an expandable coat hanger to fit different size clothes, according the inventor. On the other end of the spectrum is the Head s Up Chair, invented by Jenifer McMinn, a 5th grader also from Marshall.