Young inventors show off their creations

From an automatic dog feeder to a Lego-sorting vacuum, projects from the minds of about 450 students were up for display and judging in the Astounding Inventions competition Saturday at Irvine Valley College.

The students, kindergartners through eighth-graders from the Irvine and Tustin unified school districts, were finalists from among almost 4,000 competitors from 40 schools who submitted their inventions in the fall.

More than 60 representatives of the scientific, education, civic and business communities judged the projects Saturday and selected winners in each grade level.