Young Cedar Park Inventor Competing For $250K Prize

CEDAR PARK, TX — A young Cedar Park inventor has been named one of just five finalists in a national competition for her chalk-painting device — a creation that could lead to a grand prize of $250,000.

In a telephone interview with Patch, nine-year-old Anna Kreager described how frustrated she'd become after indulging in one of her favorites pastimes, creating chalk art on the sidewalk outside her parent's home. Invariably, she said, her clothes and hands would get dirty after the arduous task of sidewalk painting that requires hours of effort essentially crawling on the ground.

No more, she finally said. There has to be a better way! That's when she came up with an implement she calls "chalkers" enabling sidewalk artists to affix chalk to their shoes, allowing for artistic expression on the cement canvas while getting exercise along the way.

"It requires a lot of balance," Anna told Patch. But once you get the hang of it, "chalkers" provides for seamless, unfettered artistic expression. Austin-based MAKO Designs + Invent, a full-service consumer product development firm, built the prototypes for each invention.

Anna's "chalkers" creation is hard to describe in words. Take a look at the video below in which she demonstrates her brainchild for a clearer picture of what the invention entails.

"I got tired of getting chalk on my jeans, and you can't draw anything big," Anna told Patch, describing the limitations of traditional chalk art. "With the chalkers, I'm able able to draw big stuff and won't get dirty. It straps on to your shoe and keeps the chalk on the bottom."

Her invention has now made the finalists' cut in a competition organized by Plano-based Frito-Lay. Last spring, the company "celebrated the power of boundless imagination" by inviting aspiring entrepreneurs to use their creativity to "dreamvent" something into existence toward the aim of solving everyday problems, Frito-Lay officials said.

"After all, Frito-Lay believes that if you can dream, you can invent," the company said. And so, the inaugural "Dreamvention" contest was born, hosted by the Frito-Lay Variety Packs brand of assorted snacks. Company officials report that thousands of submissions were received, showcasing creative, imaginative and practical inventions from every corner of the country.

Those submissions have been narrowed down to five finalists, who are now competing for the quarter-million-dollar prize. The public will choose the winner by voting at MyDreamvention.com. with the winner named in December. Voting continues through Nov. 12.

Anna is no aloof inventor, as Patch learned. After years of mastering her craft, she generously has imparted the keys of her technique to her younger siblings, she explained. "I've been able to teach them a lot," she said with palpable satisfaction in her accomplishment.

She also noted with a measure of pride that her seven-year-old brother also came up with an invention although it ultimately didn't make the Frito-Lay cut: A specialized ketchup gun used to squirt the condiment onto food which many of us here at Patch think is an extremely cool idea in its own right and are baffled as to what the judges were thinking in not picking it as well.

But then again, Anna knows the travails of being an inventor. Her other invention — a "shoe bath" that somehow rids mud from footwear to prevent tracking in dirt inside the house — didn't make the cut either. But it's little wonder, given the caliber of selected inventions vying for the big prize. Other Dreamvent finalists include:

• Maria Delong, 8, of Brownsburg, Ind. whose own invention, like Anna's, was born of frustration and no shortage of annoyance. Finding the sound of the alarm clock overly jarring in waking her up to get ready for school, she invented a more delightful alternative. Her "Pleasant Awakenings" device utilizes feathers that tickle one's face until fully awakened. Because the best part of waking up is feathers in your face.
• Julia Luetje, 10, of Leawood, Kan., made the cut with her "Storm Sleeper" invention. Affixing bluetooth speakers to a specialized pillow, she's created a vessel of relaxation amid event the strongest, scariest thunderstorms Mother Nature is capable of dishing out.
• Grace Murphy, 12, from Needham, Mass., is showcasing her "Shoe Purse," that provides a makeshift safe place for jewelry and the like. As a busy student and soccer player, Murphy told Frito-Lay officials she was always at a loss when it came to storing her valuables in the throes of her athleticism.
• Andrew Young, 14, of Batavia, N.Y., is pinning his dreams on the "Toaster Shooter." As the name suggests, the device ejects toast aloft to avoid burning one's fingers in retrieving it. The young inventor told officials he was inspired to create the contraption after witnessing his beloved grandmother burn her fingers upon grabbing her toast.

Whoever wins is anybody's guess at this point. But whatever happens, Anna is already a winner. Asked what she likes to pain most, she said flowers and dogs were her preferred subjects. The latter may have served as both inspiration and hint, as she happily reported her parents have agreed to get a family dog.

For more behind-the-scenes glimpses into the young inventors' inspirations, click here. And to vote for your favorite invention through Nov. 12, click here.

>>> Photo of Anna Kreager with parents Jessica Kreager and Matt Kreager courtesy of Frito-Lay