From left, Bailee Hagen, Davis Datillo and Evan Barker answer questions about their invention, the “Snapback” shoe, as Haine Middle School fifth-graders made inventions and presented them to a panel of judges Tuesday.

CRANBERRY TWP — After months of hard work, fifth-graders at Seneca Valley’s Haine Middle School finally revealed their inventions to the public.

Groups of students presented their unique creations Tuesday to a panel of judges during the school’s CIRC Tank, named after the Creativity Innovation and Research Center at the middle school.

It was a play on the popular TV show “Shark Tank,” where inventors pitch their products or services to investors in an effort to get financial backing. Students presented creations like a foldable suitcase, a belt leash to walk your dog hands-free and a shoe that snaps on to fit more easily on your foot.

“We learned it takes a lot of trials to get a product right,” said Mackenzie Tunstall, a fifth-grader who was presenting a portable washing machine with her group.

A full story appears in Thursday's Butler Eagle.