Volunteers | KC Invention Convention

Volunteer

ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT SUPPORTING STEMIE INITIATIVES FOR KANSAS CITY YOUTH?

Whether you are interested in serving as a competition judge or can share your professional expertise as a mentor, there is a spot for you. Join today and become part of Kansas City’s invention community!

Time commitments and expectations for each KCIC volunteer opportunity vary. Please review the descriptions of each role below to determine which best suits your availability.

Support the next generation of inventors by volunteering with us at KCIC!

For questions about volunteering, please contact invent@lindahall.org.

Judges

At KCIC, our student inventors develop creative solutions to real-world problems- some of which may impact your own life! We welcome judges from all walks of life to help evaluate these inspiring innovations.

Whether you’re a STEAM professional, tradesperson, marketer, intellectual property expert, parent, educator, or simply a community member passionate about mentoring youth, your perspective is valuable. You don’t need prior judging experience, just a willingness to support young inventors!

Judges FAQ

Exceptional KCIC judges are comfortable engaging with children in grades 3-12, willing to work with a team, and able to adhere to the scoring rubric.

All volunteer judges receive training before the event and on the morning of the event. We provide clear scoring rubrics to guide your evaluations, so there’s no guesswork involved.

Approximately 20 minutes for judge training videos before the competition day, then from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM on Thursday, April 16th, 2026. Morning refreshments and a boxed lunch are provided.

Tentative schedule:
Judge’s breakfast will start at 8:00 AM with training beginning at 8:30 AM on April 16th, 2026 at the Linda Hall Library (5109 Cherry). After training, we’ll walk across the street to Swinney Recreation Center on the UMKC

Connect with other professionals from your community while celebrating student success.
Breakfast, lunch, and coffee for judges will be provided during the event.
Our volunteers consistently tell us how rewarding the experience is, and many return year after year!

Interested in becoming a judge at KCIC? Sign up today!

Ambassadors

At KCIC, our student inventors develop creative solutions to real-world problems- some of which may impact your own life! Ambassadors play a vital role in making our event special for students, educators, and judges.

Ambassadors help our young inventors find their assigned place, set up their displays, and prepare to compete. During the competition, ambassadors support students by keeping the competition floor free of guests and assisting judges with keeping students engaged during the judging process.

Ambassador FAQ

Adults who are comfortable interacting with elementary, middle school, and high school students. You will be our representatives, keeping things running smoothly on the competition floor!

All volunteer ambassadors receive training before the event and on the morning of the event.

8:00am-1:00pm day of the competition, brief training video online ahead of the competition

Connect with other professionals from your community while celebrating student success.
Breakfast, lunch, and coffee for volunteers will be provided during the event.
Our volunteers consistently tell us how rewarding the experience is and many return year after year!

Interested in becoming an ambassador at KCIC? Sign up today!

Mentors

KCIC strives to inspire curiosity, confidence, and creative problem-solving skills in Kansas City youth. We also believe that the invention process should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Mentors will work with students on all facets of the invention process: refining an idea, building a prototype, and making a pitch. As a mentor, you will serve as a STEMIE role model to help foster an interest in sci-tech careers.

Mentors FAQ

We are looking for people who have real-world invention and entrepreneurial experience to serve as mentors. If you have developed an innovative product, own a business, or have start-up experience, then you may be the perfect fit.

Mentors should be experienced innovators, inventors, and entrepreneurs. Unlike KCIC judges who are evaluating a student’s project with positive feedback and suggestions on competition day, the role of KCIC mentors is to be supportive and encouraging during the invention process.

Mentors serve as sounding boards for students as they work through the invention process by giving them feedback on their invention idea, refining their pitch, and helping develop their prototype.

Mentors answer questions and provide feedback to our young inventors during the inventing process. Questions, answers, and general feedback will be educator moderated and may take the form of an email exchange or a live video conference. Mentorship can be as brief as answering one question or may lead to ongoing advising, depending on project needs and the mentor’s availability. We value our mentor’s time and are grateful for their support.

Interested in signing up to be a mentor? Email invent@lindahall.org!

Want to Learn More?

If you have additional questions about KCIC or participation, please visit our FAQ page or contact invent@lindahall.org.