Students Unleash Creativity at Expo by Crafting Their Own Toys

Desert Wind Middle School hosted its fourth annual Toy Exposition last night, attracting hundreds of students and parents eager to see youthful creativity on display.

Organizing teacher Jennifer Szoltysik highlighted the innovative learning aspect of the event. “The students in the Blended Learning Program utilized the engineering design process to conceptualize and develop toy prototypes along with their packaging.” They began with brainstorming sessions, proceeded to create prototypes, and conducted customer surveys to refine their ideas.

Once the prototypes were developed and feedback was collected, the students produced commercial videos lasting 30 to 60 seconds. These advertisements identified their target audiences, adding a real-world marketing component to the project.

A number of toys stood out during the exposition. “Pawfect Puppies,” created by students Sophia Perez, Cole Monroy-Hernandez, Elisabeth Oliver, and Alakai Lester, featured each puppy with an adoption certificate and custom outfits.

Another eye-catching entry, “The Color Blender,” designed by Dalaini Margerum, Isabella Venegas, Khloe Lopez Gutierrez, and Pearson Welch, ingeniously mixed colors inspired by various fruits. This toy visually demonstrated how red cherries combined with yellow bananas could produce vibrant orange.

Szoltysik expressed pride in the students’ work, stating, “It is an excellent educational tool for elementary art classrooms focused on color theory. We commend all groups for their dedication to this first project of the academic year.”

The event celebrated not only creativity but also the application of skills that students will carry into their future endeavors.