Two Kansas fifth graders are making a splash with their invention to capture the ocean’s energy

At Glenwood Ridge Elementary in Basehor, Kansas, two fifth graders are thinking big—world-saving big. Meet Warren Heck and Jase Oxandale, best friends, tinkerers and newly minted inventors. Their idea? Harness the endless rhythm of the ocean to power a cleaner planet.

“We made a water energizer,” Heck says, proudly describing the two-by-two-and-a-half-foot prototype they built from scratch. “It makes energy from the movement of waves as they come in on the beach. It’s like a buoy—when the waves hit it, it goes up, turns a gear, starts a motor and generates energy. Then it goes back down and captures energy from the up-and-down motion.”

Their inspiration came from curiosity and concern. Their mission was simple but bold: help the planet. 

Through research, they learned that due to the Earth’s rotation, the Western Hemisphere’s waves are among the strongest in the world. “We found out that ocean waves could provide about 90 percent of the energy we need compared to just 30 percent from wind and solar,” Oxandale explains during their project pitch.

“I think it’s going to help the world by giving energy to the world,” Heck says. “The energy would only stop when the machine breaks down—or when the world stops spinning.”

Oxandale puts it in his own way: “If we don’t help save the Earth, it could become really trashy. We use energy every day—so we have to make it cleaner.”

Over 14 months, the duo spent 31 hours designing and assembling their invention. Heck took charge of the electrical wiring; Oxandale mastered the mechanics. They even reached out to an oceanographer to make sure their “water energizer” would be safe for marine life.

“[We] thought about having a metal cage around it so sea life couldn’t get into the zone where the energizer is,” Oxandale says. “We were scared that if an animal got hit by this big metal thing, it might die. We also added a light on top for boat safety.”

That kind of thoughtful design—and heart—impressed the judges at the 2025 Kansas City Invention Convention, held at UMKC’s Swinney Recreation Center. Competing against middle schoolers, the pair took home first place in the fifth and sixth grade division.

Their win earned them a trip to the 2025 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals in Dearborn, Michigan, where their wave-energy prototype—built from PVC pipes, springs and a lot of imagination—stood among 496 entries from across the country.

“It was an amazing experience,” says Heck’s mom, Sarah. “Some of the kids at nationals already had patents or products on the market.”

Since then, the boys have taken their invention on the road. In November, they traveled to Wichita to present their project to the Kansas State Association of Teachers, sharing how the Innovation Academy Program helped shape their creative process.

And they’re far from finished. Next year, as sixth graders, they plan to keep refining their idea with the support of Glenwood Ridge’s Technology Science Association club.

Because when you’re two fifth-grade inventors with a vision to save the world, there’s always more energy to generate—and more dreams to chase. 

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