Cardigan Students Shine in the Charles C. Gates Invention & Innovation Competition 

If you have ever walked through Wallach, you have seen the bronze cowboy hat with the quote “Throw your hat across the creek” above the doorway leading into the IDEA Shop. The expression, which was favored by Charles C. Gates Sr., came from the Old West, when crossing rivers and creeks was difficult in covered wagons. Pioneers would throw their hats across the creek, forcing them to figure out how to get from one side to the other.

This scrappy, improvisational spirit of problem-solving certainly plays a huge role in all levels of the Gates Program at Cardigan. But by the opening of the 2026 Charles C. Gates Invention & Innovation Competition, any signs of just “figuring it out” were absent. The boys who participated in the competition had collected their hats, brushed off the dust, and were ready to pitch their inventions with passion and professionalism.

This year’s Gates competition included 29 original projects presented by 60 students–52 Inventors and eight Futurists. In addition, Cardigan’s Robotics teams scrimmaged in front of an enthusiastic crowd. From biodegradable fishing lures to an insulated GoPro case designed to improve battery life, from protective covers for SPD bike shoes to a guided knife system meant to improve kitchen safety, the projects solved many everyday problems. And the energy the student-inventors brought to Wallach was palpable; they spoke with the conviction of seasoned professionals who had done their research and could confidently discuss the various iterations of their prototypes. They did it together, supporting each other through failures, roadblocks, and detours…and eventually success.

Director of Gates Jenny Sabados explained at the awards ceremony, “Each of you has your own unique slice of genius and your biggest accomplishment is to discover your slice of genius, see that of others, and then create a combinational chemistry together much stronger than you could ever accomplish alone. That’s the kind of leadership our world needs.”

The Gates competition, then, is a celebration of perseverance, ingenuity, and community…and the bright future we can expect from these boys.

Congratulations to the following winners:

Futurists Winners

CoolShoes: Omar Kuri Lavalle ’27 and Jeronimo Mancebo Álvarez ’27

Robotics Winners

Ten Degrees: Jiho Park ’26, Carlos Xie ’26, Allen Zhang ’26, and William Zhu ’26

Inventors Winners

First Place 
Touchpoint: Jayden Hwang ’28, Terry Lang ’28, and Eliott Lo ’28

Second Place
Mighty Minis: Louis Cho ’29, Jackson Gandin ’29, and Niven Sinclair ’29

Third Place
Cryocase: Cedric Donovan ’29, Luis Han ’29, and Taiyo Nanko ’29

Community Choice Awards

Futurist
PK Hockey Co.: Colton MacDonald ’26 and PK Stasko ’26

Inventors 
EcoFish: Richard Kim ’28, Macqueen Li ’28, and Ross Navins ’28

Patent Nods

Design Patents
Touchpoint: Jayden Hwang ’28, Terry Lang ’28, and Eliott Lo ’28
ETH Lacrosse: Enrique Miranda Gaxiola ’28, Torin Shirangi ’28, and Harry Xu ’28
CryoCase: Cedric Donovan ’29, Luis Han ’29, and Taiyo Nanko ’29

Provisional Patents
EcoFish: Richard Kim ’28, Macqueen Li ’28, and Ross Navins ’28

For more information about Cardigan’s Gates Invention & Innovation Program, please visit:

Gates Program

Highlights from the 2026 Charles C. Gates Invention & Innovation Competition