Understanding how past inventions shape everyday life helps students better appreciate the world they live in today. While smartphones are normal technology in 2026, learning how personal computers and cameras have evolved to be packaged in a device small enough to fit in a pocket is meaningful. 

Highpoint School students sparked their curiosity while stepping into the past on April 17 at a History Fair: A Legacy of Innovation.

The DAEP campus offers troubled youth in grades 6-12 a safe and structured learning environment with a low student-to-teacher ratio. Students attend Highpoint on a contract basis through their home school districts with the goal of returning to and graduating from their home district high school. The History Fair is one of many notable events at Highpoint to encourage students to push their learning beyond the traditional classroom setting. 

Students selected various inventions throughout history for the fair and projects varied by grade levels. They put together project boards and displays that showcased each item and its impact on changing the world.  

Harris County Department of Education’s Special Schools leaders and community members served as fair judges, while students shared with attendees what they learned throughout the project.