SCICON has chosen to honor Irvy Elster (1889–1965). Irvy was the one-legged "hermit", who lived at the top of SKY TRAIL with his donkey, Pokey, from the 1940s to 1965. Irvy was a quiet soul who loved animals and nature. He loved to visit the SCICON campus and tell stories at campfire. 

​The intent of the SCICON T-shirt project is to help the school's fundraise any funds associated with sending their students to SCICON (bus transportation, etc.)  The shirts are offered to the schools at wholesale cost (this year the cost is $9.00 per shirt including sales tax and shipping.)  Schools can then offer these shirts for sale to families and communities with the profit kept by the school for SCICON-related expenses.  Many schools sell the shirts for $5.00 above the wholesale cost.​Other schools prefer to make the shirts available to the students at cost as an inexpensive memento of their SCICON experience.  The Friends of SCICON do not keep any portion of the t-shirt fees.  The Friends of SCICON undertake this project each year solely with the intent of assisting schools with fundraising.