Commack Students Bring Fun to UCP's Children Center

A group of Commack High School students hard efforts are being rewarded with smiles and joyful laughter. 

The "Real Problems, Real Solutions Team" at Commack High School built one-of-a-kind playthings for the children of United Cerebral Palsy's Children Center in Commack. 

The team has put more more than a years worth of effort and planning to bring to life unique toys designed to be interactive for the disable children. Commack senior Andrew Franceschina helped demonstrate the Sensory Circus, that had a programmable computer chip that played circus music by tapping a large yellow pad, and a water table, specificly built to accommodate children in wheelchairs as well as those who can stand, according to the school district's website. 

Other toys built by "Real Problems, Real Solutions Team" is the RBG Machine, which had red, green and blue LED colored paths for golf balls to follow that is controlled by a touch pad that can be manipulated by a child with physical difficulties. A musical adventure toy included a keyboard, cymbal and shape/color board. 

The entire project was funded by a $27,000 award won by the Commack students two years ago from ING, which gave the students national recognition for their engineer and design talents. The Commack studnets had redesigned desk, draws and office space of the receptionist at the Hauppauge office of UCP.