First grader Kadyn Meyer turned his love of dragons into an award-winning project for this year’s Iowa Invention Convention.
Meyer advanced to the state competition after presenting his project, a “Wings of Fire” exhibit proposal, during a local convention. The project reimagines a traveling exhibit featuring animatronic dragons inspired by the popular book series.
“My invention actually isn’t an invention,” Kadyn said. “It’s a model of a ‘Wings of Fire’ exhibit.”
The idea came from his interest in the book series and a desire to see more content built around it. Kadyn, a self-described fan of the series, said he wanted to create something that would bring the world of the books to life for others.
“There’s not enough ‘Wings of Fire’ things out there,” he said.
His model is an interactive exhibit centered on dragons and storytelling, designed as a traveling experience similar to large-scale dinosaur shows. The concept combines creativity with an entrepreneurial approach, proposing an exhibit that could move from place to place and engage audiences through immersive design.
“It really teaches problem solving and how to use the tools that are out there,” his father, Carl Meyer, said of the Invention Convention program.
Kadyn spent about four weeks developing the concept, working through the process of identifying a problem, researching ideas and forming a solution. He then spent two additional weeks building the physical model, bringing his vision into a tangible form.
“Painting all the walls and the dragons,” he said, was the most challenging part of the process.
Despite some nerves, Kadyn said presenting his project to judges was an exciting experience.
“I was a little nervous, but I had no reason to be nervous,” he said. “I already talked in front of a crowd.”
At the state competition, held at the University of Iowa’s Iowa Memorial Union, Kadyn was one of just over 100 students selected from roughly 2,400 participants across Iowa. The event brought together top young inventors from across the state to present their ideas and answer questions from judges.
“I was really excited,” Kadyn said.
He earned a ribbon and was named a “recognized inventor,” an honor given to a select group of participants at the state level.
His mother, Trudie Meyer, said she and her husband were surprised and proud to see him advance, especially given the unique, entrepreneurial angle of his project compared to more traditional inventions.
“We thought since he was doing it on an entrepreneurial level that he wasn’t really going to be considered,” Trudie Meyer said. “But I think he just presented so well that that might have changed their minds.”
Leading up to the competition, Kadyn participated in a six-week invention club that met at the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy in Cedar Rapids prior to local presentations on March 31. The club was led by Letia Blanco, a senior manager at Collins Aerospace, and helped students work through each stage of the invention process.
At home, Kadyn continued developing his project with support from his family, taking the lead in guiding how the model would come together.
“Kadyn was kind of our boss,” Trudie Meyer said. “He told us where to place stuff and what color to paint the dragons.”
She said Kadyn paid close attention to detail, making sure the dragons and environments reflected the world of the book series accurately.
Beyond the project itself, the experience helped Kadyn build confidence and communication skills at a young age.
“I think speaking in front of a crowd is hard, especially for younger people, and he’s already mastering that,” Trudie Meyer said.
Kadyn also created a video of his presentation as part of his project and used it to reach out to Tui T. Sutherland, the author of the Wings of Fire series that inspired his idea. While he has not yet received a response, his family said they are hopeful for a reply.
As he looks ahead, Kadyn said he plans to return to the Invention Convention next year, continuing to build on the creativity and confidence he gained through the experience.