Watch out “Shark Tank,” there’s a new crop of inventions that could be making their way to your show someday—and they were all produced by fifth graders from Massapequa School District. Nearly 75 students in the district’s academically gifted Magnet program presented their ideas at the second annual Invention Convention at McKenna Elementary School, impressing parents and educators alike with their ingenuity.
Need to cut out something but ordinary scissors won’t do the trick? Try Blissors, created by McKenna Elementary School fifth-grader Lil
iana Edzards. A pair of Blissors uses sensors and a telescopic robotic arm to follow any traced line and cut through difficult materials easily, making it ideal for crafters or fashion designers, according to its inventor.
Set up like a science fair, students showcased their creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills with colorful trifold displays that explained how they came up with the idea, how it operates, how it enhances people’s lives, what it costs and how they would market it .
“As part of their research, we asked the students to think about ways they could make their lives easier; to think about things around their environment, their homes that could improve the way they do things and then they had to make sure it wasn’t invented before,” said Magnet teacher Lisa Gennardo of East Lake Elementary School.
“It’s called the ArmBand Bot,” began Evelyn McCabe, a fifth grader from Unqua Elementary School. “When people get bullied they often don’t want to talk about it. What the Armband Bot does is it senses your mood and let your parents know how you are feeling. The bracelet speaks up for the child if he or she does not want to do it on their own,” she explained. “I thought of the idea when someone in my class was being bullied. I think a lot of moms who want to know why their child comes home upset would purchase this invention.”
Want the luxury of a heated swimming pool without the high cost of electricity? Then the J.A. Industries Solar Automatic Pool Cover, created by Fairfield Elementary School fifth-grader Jake Alessi, is for you. Tired of forgetting to turn on the bathroom fan after a shower? Birch Lane Elementary School fifth-grader Carolyn Smith has a solution for that: the Auto-Air, a moisture-activated fan.
Earlier in the day, three real-life inventors, sparked students’ curiosity when they discussed the invention process. Students were intrigued by Richard Edelman, who invented numerous board games and other innovations, Art Lih, longtime Massapequa resident who developed the LifeVac, a device that saves children from choking and Kasia Sawicka who invented a vaccination patch that has been successfully tested and used to combat the flu, whooping cough, anthrax and other antigens.
“This was a wonderful culminating event for all our Magnet students…who, after working for weeks on their inventions, are able to share ideas and celebrate their achievements,” said McKenna’s Magnet teacher Elizabeth Natke. “Bringing in real-life inventors really drives home what inventors do and how their inventions can change the way we live.”
—Submitted by Massapequa Public Schools
