The Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School STEM Club’s Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam project reached a series of historic milestones that capped months of rigorous engineering with a functional prototype, a pending patent application, and major accolades from Capitol Hill.

The student-led team is tackling a pervasive mobility barrier: the inefficiency and safety hazards of standard wheelchairs on difficult beach terrain. Driven by a mission to restore user independence, comfort, and safety, these dedicated young inventors successfully designed, built, and tested a fully operational track-extension prototype tailored specifically to the needs of a local beneficiary.

The project’s momentum was fueled by a powerful community bond. Before the team’s national presentations began, the students met with their local beneficiaries to demonstrate the current iteration of the wheelchair.

“They told us they didn’t expect us to make it this far,” the team recalled. “To be able to exceed their expectations was a truly special moment for us. Hearing how proud they were boosted every team member’s spirits and gave us the drive to finish the wheelchair this coming fall. We can’t wait to see their joy when we deliver the final working model.”

To solve the complex engineering challenges of beach terrain, the team’s sustainability sub-group researched and selected eco-friendly, durable plastics for the prototype extensions and a specialized driving belt for the actual track. By engineering track extensions that attach seamlessly to the front and back wheels, the students minimized bulk—ensuring the chair can easily fit into a standard car trunk—while drastically improving shock absorption and stability on uneven sand. The low-profile attachment height ensures that users with severe mobility difficulties can transition on and off the chair safely and with ease.

The journey began in the classroom, sparked by the vision of Bay Path Science & Engineering Teacher and STEM Club Advisor, Kristine Wade, who guided the students through the intensive Lemelson-MIT application process. With financial backing from the “Bay Path Family”—including faculty, peers, and local community donors—the team raised the funds necessary to travel and present at the prestigious MIT Open House in June.

During the event, the InvenTeam demonstrated their engineering approach and showcased components of their prototype. Beyond the technical presentations, the weekend served as a masterclass in collaboration.

“This experience made me realize how similar everyone really is. We all have the same purpose: to make a difference,” a team member reflected. The community aspect was felt immediately during a nerve-wracking practice run: “A student from a California InvenTeam started clapping and shouting, ‘You’ve got this!’ It put everyone at ease. Making the invention was a great experience, but so were the friends we met along the way.”

The team’s commitment to humanitarian engineering caught the attention of federal lawmakers. In a surprise morning meeting, Wade presented the team with a major honor: A Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey.

In addition to the congressional certificate, the group received an official plaque from the national Lemelson-MIT program. Standout team members Jazzelle Wolverson (Webster) and Matilda Paradis (Southbridge) were individually honored with the program’s prestigious Communications Award for pioneering a new era of project outreach.

As the first InvenTeam to replace traditional written monthly newsletters with high-energy video logs, Wolverson and Paradis used Adobe Premiere Pro to translate complex engineering data into engaging Instagram VLOGs (@bpinventeam). The innovative storytelling format was so successful it was officially featured on the MIT News website.

“Since I am in the Programming and Web Development shop, this was the best way I could contribute,” explained Wolverson. “I would stop recording during meetings to ask the technical team questions about their processes. It became a beautiful way to connect with my teammates, and through it, I discovered a genuine lifelong passion for video editing.”

Taking their project into the professional arena, the STEM Club has officially secured intellectual property protection for their design. Moving past their initial goal of a provisional filing, the team finalized their rigorous legal documentation and submitted a formal patent application on June 14, 2026. The invention officially holds a “patent pending” status—a rare, monumental achievement for high school-aged inventors.

The group’s technical prowess also translated to the competitive stage this spring. Showcasing elite technical skills at the State SkillsUSA Competition, Bay Path students secured an impressive fourth-place finish in Web Design and commercial technical fields, cementing their reputation as rising leaders in the regional engineering pipeline.

The profound experience of balancing rigorous engineering, legal patent applications, and public speaking has permanently shaped the students’ career trajectories.

“Everything we’ve gone through has made me realize that hard work and determination bring you closer to your goals,” Wolverson noted. “I have always wanted a computer science degree, and these experiences have made my communication skills concrete. When I go to college, I want to join a STEM or robotics club, so I can keep creating inventions that make a real difference outside of high school.”

An undertaking of this scale requires a massive village. The STEM Club extends its deepest gratitude to the Lemelson-MIT program, Advisor Kris Wade, master educator Mr. Doug Scott, their dedicated project beneficiaries, and the entire local donor community for providing the guidance, funding, and belief that turned a classroom concept into a transformative, patented reality.

This is a follow-up to the Bay Path article that appeared in the December 2025 issue of The YankeeXpress.