DENAIR, Calif. (Oct. 15, 2026) — Denair Unified School District has been awarded a multi-year
“Invention Education (IvE) Pathways” grant that will support teaching elementary, middle, and
high school students the methods inventors use to improve lives.
The grant was awarded by Lemelson-MIT (LMIT) program, part of the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology’s prestigious School of Engineering. While the district was awarded a modest
$35,000 for materials and equipment, the real value of the grant is the professional
development, IvE curriculum, and implementation support provided by LMIT. DUSD will work in
conjunction with California State University, Stanislaus.
LMIT’s experience, case studies, and published research show that this approach helps
students, especially those underrepresented in STEM, build confidence and see themselves as
capable STEM learners and inventors. Student teams in the program’s flagship high school
grants initiative – InvenTeams® – have earned an impressive 24 U.S. patents.
“We want to equip all students to succeed in a global economy, where critical and creative
thinking is a must,” said DUSD Superintendent Terry Metzger, Ed.D. “Through this partnership
our students will experience firsthand the transformative power of invention education. IvE
goes beyond the traditional classroom, giving students a platform not only to develop tangible
solutions to real-world problems but also to build essential skills like critical thinking,
collaboration, and resilience.”
IvE is an approach to teaching in which students work in teams to identify problems that matter
to them and develop prototypes of novel solutions. Students engaged in IvE learn how to apply
knowledge and skills from different disciplines. They develop durable human skills that are
important in work and in life such as teamwork, collaboration and communication. Students
also develop technical skills and confidence in their own abilities. All three types of benefits
prepare students to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world. Denair USD plans to offer IvE in its
before and after school program. Students at all grade levels will also have opportunities to
learn through invention projects and activities teachers incorporate into their classroom
instruction.
The district is partnering with teacher candidates and FabLab staff from CSU Stanislaus to
organically expand interest and enthusiasm for IvE among students, teachers, and staff. Denair
USD is part of a larger northern California regional cohort identified by LMIT after a nationwide
search for a cluster of schools/colleges and districts that recognize the power of IvE and are
committed to building strong pathways to invention. The other two regions selected were
Tennessee and Massachusetts/Connecticut. LMIT offers curriculum resources that schools,
districts, and community colleges can adopt selectively to jump-start their IvE offerings. LMIT
will work with participating sites across Northern California to assist with their design,
implementation, and evaluation of learning experiences that help students apply STEM
knowledge to invent solutions to real-world problems.
The complete list of Northern California schools, districts, and colleges selected as part of
LMIT’s regional focus include:
California State University, Stanislaus
Columbia College
Columbia Union School District
Denair Unified School District
Folsom-Cordova Unified School District
Stockton Unified School District
Visions in Education University Prep Early College Academy (Gold River)
“This initiative builds on LMIT’s work with educators across the U.S. for nearly 25 years and
related research. We have learned that IvE can benefit all students, especially when students
can experience learning through the invention process across multiple grade levels,” said Dr.
Stephanie Couch, executive director of LMIT. “Our goal is to create opportunities for learning
through IvE during the regular school day, beginning in the early grades and continuing into
adulthood. Learners will gain insights into the opportunities they have to improve the lives of
people they care about through creative and inventive problem solving. They will also gain
confidence in their own abilities, including pursuit of college/career paths in technical
fields/occupations if that is what they choose. Employers benefit from graduates that have the
types of capabilities they need but have trouble finding. Invention education connects students’
knowledge and passions with the technical and durable human skills employers are looking
for.”
ABOUT DENAIR UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT: DUSD serves more than 1,300 students in
California’s San Joaquin Valley, the nation’s mightiest ag production region. And while the
district embraces its ag-based roots, it also looks to empower tomorrow’s leaders through
exemplary instruction and powerful, innovative programs.
ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM: For more than 30 years, LMIT, administered under the
MIT School of Engineering, has been a national leader in efforts to prepare the next generation
of inventors and entrepreneurs. Their work focuses on the expansion of opportunities for all
people to discover their pathway into becoming an inventor and solve crucial problems to help
improve lives.
Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history’s most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy, founded
the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded
by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by MIT’s School of Engineering, an institution
with a strong ongoing commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for K-14 STEM
education.
The Lemelson-MIT Program (LMIT), one of the entities consulted by the partners during this
program design process, LMIT has a proven track record of supporting educators and teams of
young people across the U.S. in developing technical and human skills through the project-
based learning approach known as “invention education” (IvE). IvE blends STEM instruction
with hands-on skills common in career technical education (CTE) programs in ways that
educators, learners, and employers value. To date, 23 teams of high school students with whom
LMIT has worked have earned patents for their invention prototypes.
