Andy Tullis / The BulletinSixth-graders Canon Settlemier, left, and Garrett Knowles, both 11, present their invention called Hook-a-Hoop to a group of venture capitalists at a shark tank type event at Seven Peaks School in Bend on Friday.

A product that lets blind animals sense solid objects in their path. A website where kids can take a quiz, enter a budget and get a room designed specifically for them. A car-key sensor that detects drivers’ alcohol level through their sweat to determine whether they are sober enough to drive.

The ideas for these three inventions, and several more, were showcased Friday at Seven Peaks School’s inaugural Shark Tank event. Based off the popular TV show, the event featured a panel of six Bend-based venture capitalists, who judged each of the 13 teams on their product’s marketability, costs and the teamwork involved in creating it. Some teams created a prototype of their idea.

“This is a great step, practically speaking, on how the students can think about innovative ways to change the world and dream big,” said Matt Harrison, a financial adviser and one of the sharks who judge the competition. “It’s always interesting to see what ideas smart kids come up with and the excitement they have and that they’re not jaded by real-world experiences yet.”

The Shark Tank event is an extension of the private school’s Celebration of Innovation week, when 50 teams of middle school students spent five days last month working on problem-solving and communication techniques while learning the science behind their innovations.

Marcia Van Horn, a seventh- and eighth-grade science teacher, said she’s seen the students’ projects become more advanced and more rooted in technology from year to year, and that the Shark Tank event has added real world opportunity.

“In the invention process, it’s more about the solution to the problem,” Van Horn said last week. “But what the Shark Tank adds is another layer, like, ‘Here’s this great idea, but what can we actually do with it to get it implemented, to get it developed?’ It does add a competition level, that’s stimulating for some kids, and motivating.”

Tensions were high Friday, as each team competed for $1,800 in prizes, including the choice of an iWatch, Go Pro Hero 3 or $300 Visa gift card for each member of the first-place team and the choice of a Go Pro Hero, Nike Sport Watch or $150 Visa Gift card for each member of the second-place team.

Kira Gilbert, Sydney Dedrick and Olivia Morgan, all sixth-graders at Seven Peaks, finished in second place with their invention, “The Umbie,” an umbrella with a plastic cape extension that covers the body.

“We thought about the rain, then we realized, all these people are getting wet, getting wet can make you have colds, having colds you can miss school and work, so we thought The Umbie can solve those problems,” Olivia, 11, said Friday.

“It doesn’t take that many materials, and it’s really eco-friendly,” Sydney, 11, said.

“I think we could be really successful if the sharks invested money into us,” Kira, 11, added.

The first-place prize went to sixth-graders Emma Harris, Allie Wilbur and Maggie Martin for their “Exer-Jump” invention, which combines wireless Internet and a free app to allow users to play music, listen to workouts and record their stats all while getting exercise.

“We almost didn’t look at the Shark Tank finalist list, thinking we weren’t going to make it,” Emma, 11, said. “We were almost psyching ourselves up to lose. It’s a giant shock right now.”

As the ceremony came to a close, Chris Capdevilla, an entrepreneur and one of the sharks, congratulated all the finalists and urged the students to continue brainstorming great products.

“Just going through this experience, hopefully it energized something within you,” Capdevilla said. “Passion, without a doubt, is a key ingredient, perseverance is probably pretty close. I think I’m speaking for all the judges, if you guys want help outside of this shark tank forum to move your ideas further, we’d love to help you guys with that, more as a dolphin, not as a shark.”

— Reporter: 541-633-2117, mwarner@bendbulletin.com