Lin Mofan, a student from Donghai Elementary School in Taitung County, won the bronze medal in the Safety and Health Category of the Elementary School Division at the 2024 IEYI International Youth Invention Exhibition with his creative work, the "Intelligent Opening Kit for Dish Dryer," bringing further glory to Taitung. County Mayor Rao Qingling praised Lin Mofan's outstanding performance and commended Donghai Elementary School for actively integrating creativity education into daily learning, showcasing Taitung’s science and creativity education on the international stage.
Lin Mofan stood out in the domestic selection, earning the opportunity to represent Taiwan in the world competition. During the competition, he had to introduce his work to international judges entirely in English and answer questions on the spot. Before the event, Lin Mofan used his spare time to improve his English speaking skills, and with guidance from four teachers, his stable and highly creative performance earned him the bronze medal, which was highly praised.
Before the competition, student Lin Mofan made use of his free time after school to strengthen his English speaking skills and improve his listening and expression abilities. (Photo / Taitung County Government)
Since 2020, Donghai Elementary School has established the Smart Creativity Innovation Center with support from the Taitung County Government Education Department and actively promotes basic information education. Starting from the third grade, students are required to take programming courses such as Scratch and Arduino, which not only cultivate students' logical thinking but also teach them how to use technology to solve real-life problems.
Lin Mofan stated that the inspiration for designing the "Intelligent Opening Kit for Dish Dryer" came from a small problem in daily life. He often forgot to start the dish dryer, which led to mold growth on the utensils. Thus, he decided to invent a smart device to solve this problem. The device uses temperature and humidity sensors to detect moisture and automatically activates the dish dryer when the humidity reaches a certain level. Throughout the competition, Lin Mofan worked closely with his mentors, constantly discussing and modifying the design, eventually optimizing it into a more practical concept that aligns with the smart living idea and has already applied for a patent.
Mentor Gao Wei-yao stated that programming education sparked Lin Mofan's creativity, allowing him to technically realize his ideas. Mentor and parent Lin Wenwei and Teacher Zeng Weixu also emphasized that, although balancing their roles was challenging during the guidance process, seeing the child work hard for his ideas made them even more willing to support him fully.
Principal Lu Yalin of Donghai Elementary School expressed special gratitude to the Taitung County Government Education Department for their support, which allowed students to participate in world-class competitions, broaden their horizons, and learn about creativity and culture from different countries. In the future, Donghai Elementary School will continue to promote interdisciplinary learning, encouraging teachers and students to solve life challenges through creativity and technology, striving for more glory for Taitung.
