Fifth-Graders Ideas Realized at Invention Convention

Nicole Regimbal barely had time to talk because she was so busy handing out samples of her Chocolate Milksicles to students gathered around her booth.

"Who knew it would be so popular?" the Central School fifth-grader, who had made 400 samples for the school's Invention Convention on May 23, asked rhetorically.

"It's so good," said fourth-grader Isis Williams between licks of the frozen pop. "This is an eight (out of 10)."

Nicole was among nearly 70 kids in the Central School's fifth-grade class who set up display booths in the school's gym and demonstrated their inventions to fellow students, staff and parents who visited throughout the day. Each year, the fifth graders are asked to "think of everyday problems and try to come up with a way to solve the problem," said fifth-grade teacher Mary Beth LeBlond.

Each child has to come up with a name for their invention, be able to explain how it works, have a diagram on a display board and have a model or prototype. Students also can include a biography, samples, business cards or create a jingle.

The program, which has run for several years, has become so popular that children in the younger grades can't wait to get to fifth grade to participate and some even already know what their invention will be, said LeBlond.

The inventions ranged from the simple to the elaborate and many re-purposed common household items in creative ways.

Another popular display happened to belong to Nicole's twin sister, Gabby, who created "Sledding in the Summer" by attaching a child's car seat to a winter sled. Gabby said she wanted to create a way to have fun in their basement after Nicole hurt herself. Gabby's area wasn't as popular at first but then she had her own cluster of kids waiting for a ride.

"At first I felt upset because everyone was going to (Nicole's booth) because she had food," admitted Gabby. "Now we're just happy for each other."

Some students like Rachel Lehner and Sheldon Kohl had products that already had potential customers.

Rachel's invention was the Guinea Pig Bath, inspired by her guinea pig, Mr. Pig, who needs a bath on a regular basis. The bath consisted of a plastic container with a Lego platform to keep the animal from sitting in the water, and a caddy with cleaning supplies. She said Mr. Pig, who is frightened by running water from a faucet, has been very calm in the pet bath.

Sheldon's product appealed more to the game player with his WDS or Water DS, which was a water-bottle holder that attaches to the back of a Nintendo DS console. Nearby, J.P. Rebimbas'  DSI XL Shade, constructed mostly of duct tape and silicone, was another accessory geared for the gamer. His shade made it easier to see the Nintendo DS screen while outside and it also doubled as a waterproof carrying case.

Kenzie McNulty's "Store It Anywhere Earbud Organizer" would be a must-have accessory for anyone with an iPod who has had to struggle with the tangled cords like she did. Her organizers came in a variety of colors—one even changed color in the sun—and one kind even smelled like lemon.

She also had a jingle for her product and business cards with a picture of the product—which can be attached with velcro to the back of an iPod  or other music player—and her name and title of owner/inventor.

Giovanni Colatruglio also had business cards and even a mock magazine cover featuring his product, "Save My Fingers," which consisted of a portion of a rubber glove to protect the thumb and forefinger when slicing food.

"You don't have to worry about slipping and cutting your finger," Giovanni said, who came up with the idea after seeing his mom cut her fingers. "I think this would be a really good product for anyone who loves to cook."

"They outdo themselves every year," said LeBlond. "Each year the inventions get more and more amazing. They truly are young inventors."

Other inventions included:
Tori Sen's "No Trouble Nail Bubble": keep nail clippings contained and the attached magnifying glass makes it easier to paint your nails;
Sophi Vardi's "S.O.S.": her Slip on Sleeves came in different styles for the person who gets cold but doesn't want to carry around a jacket or sweater;
Bianca Bicalho's "River Net": constructed from PVC pipe and insulation foam to trap garbage in waterways;
Nathan Pinho's "Crash Canceller": toy cars with magnets attached to their grills demonstrated how the magnets could help vehicles avoid colliding with each other.