07/13/2026
AN ENGINEER IN THE MAKING đź’«
Young Sophia makes it to Nationals
At just 11 years old, Sophia Luquin, a 5th grader at Sherwood Elementary School in Salinas, dreamed of creating a tool to help farmworkers pick strawberries. Through the Hartnell College Foundation K-12 STEAM Program and Invention Convention, her dream became a reality, and her invention earned her regional recognition, state participation, and the distinction of being the only one in Monterey County to go to Nationals.
“My grandparents worked in the fields and always had back pain,” she said. “I created a tool to make it easier to pick strawberries and prevent pain.”
The California Invention Convention initiative, supported by the Hartnell College Foundation K-12 STEAM Program and Salinas City Elementary School District Extended Learning, enabled students to build confidence, resilience, and belief in their ability to innovate through iterative engineering design practices.
Students learned to embrace failure as part of the design process, developing perseverance, creative confidence, and problem-solving skills while refining their ideas.
“Sophia proudly became the first student supported through this partnership to travel to Michigan, experiencing her first airplane ride and representing Salinas among 513 student inventors at the National Invention Convention, marking a first of many opportunities for Salinas students,” said Lupita Arroyo-Lozano, K-12 STEAM Program Coordinator.
Stay connected with the Hartnell College Foundation. Visit our website to continue reading this month's e-newsletter and learn more about the impact we're making together at hartnellfoundation.org.
