Wayne GATES Team Wins National Award For Inventing A Massage Rope

WAYNE, N.J. — A team from John F. Kennedy Elementary School's gifted and talented program received top honors for inventing a device that allows students to exercise and get a relaxing massage at the same time.

The team of GATES students were awarded first place in the Invent It Challenge, a national competition sponsored in part by the Smithsonian Institute. Teams had to create a real-world health problem and come up with a solution for it.

The five-member team created a Massage Rope, a device that wraps around a person’s back. The user tugs on the rope, which is attached to a spring and several spools that then run along the person’s back, giving them a massage. The device can be made with recycled materials.

The team is one of four national finalists for the competition’s ePals Choice Award.

There were others from the GATES program who received honorable mention award for their inventions, including a bicycle safety sensor, and allergy bracelet.

Residents may vote for the Massage Rope team for the ePals Choice Award. More than 739,000 votes have been cast for the Wayne team, more than 200,000 more than the next highest vote getters. Voting ends Friday.

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