Children of invention

What to do with that leftover pizza? Where to find a tasty shampoo? The gifted kids at Leila Davis Elementary asked the questions, then created the answers.

Someday people may wonder what life was like before Fresca-flavored shampoo, bun-warming leggings and calamine-coated body suits.

Those snazzy items are the brain work of first through fifth-graders, who showcased 102 of their creations Thursday at the Leila Davis Elementary Invention Convention. The event was the culmination of a thematic unit in Terry Wood and Dianne Fix's gifted class.

In the fall, their students researched inventors of the past and created projects to highlight their achievements, and this semester, the kids created their own inventions.

But they didn't stop there. They did research to find out if their inventions were original, and, if they weren't, they modified them. Once they settled on an idea, they had to create working models, estimate invention costs, choose target markets, market their inventions and present their projects at the convention.

In the media center, the youngsters showed off their creations while visitors toured the convention, choosing their favorites and rating them on creativity and marketability.

The young inventors said they drew their inspiration from many sources.

Messy pizza leftovers wrapped in plastic wrap motivated fourth-grader Julia Namm to create a LOPS, or Left Over Pizza Stacker, a three-dimensional triangular, acrylic container with six shelves, which won first place in every category.

"It doesn't take a lot of room. It's easy to slip in the refrigerator. The shelves are microwavable. It's easy to access. It's very nifty," said Julia, pointing out the benefits of her creation.

Third-grader Andy McEwen was thinking of his big sister when he created the Bath Book Buddy, a floating book rest with a Styrofoam base. "Stella would always drop her book in the tub," Andy said, rolling his eyes.

And fifth-grader Stella was inspired by her father when she made Eye See You Now, a long pole with a swivel mirror attached. She wanted to save her father the trouble of climbing on the roof to see if the gutters needed cleaning.

"It worked well," said her father, Frank McEwen. "We'll keep it around."

"It's also great to look in attics, around corners and on closet shelves," Stella said matter-of-factly.

Third-grader Sarah Crouse created the Itch Stopper 2003 because her sister had a nasty case of the chicken pox.

"I wanted to keep people from scratching and getting scars," she said, showing off the hot pink, polka-dot body suit, coated inside with calamine lotion.

"It's amazing what these elementary kids can do," said her father, Keith Crouse.

Crushed Barbie Dolls were the impetus for third-grader Kathryn Williams' idea. Her dolls got smashed when she stored them in a plastic tub, so she came up with the Adjustable Doll Organizer, a pegboard with movable prongs.

"I also tried an American Girl Doll and it worked really well," she said proudly.

Fourth-grader Joshua Sanders got his idea watching his 4-year-old sister climb up on the cupboards and the toilet seat to wash her hands. He came up with the I Can Reach Sink, which has the handles in the front for easy access.

Like many youngsters, fourth-grader Ella Marham discovered that shampoo doesn't taste very good, so she invented flavored shampoo. Her concoction tastes like Fresca and Sprite, but it would also be available in orange, grape, cherry and pizza, according to her research on popular flavors.

Third-grader Jessica Justice came up with a twist on those elastic covers for leftovers. She made a miniature version called the Bottle Beanie.

Other ideas came out of thin air.

"I really didn't have an inspiration. It just came to me," said fifth-grader Megan Ryder of her Bun Warmer, a pair of leggings with a huge pocket in back for a heating pad.

"They crack me up," chuckled Diane Tardif, a grandmother of one of the kids, as she checked out third-grader Cody Meyer's Lazy Sipper, a sip cup attached to a pillow for easy access to beverages. "Their imagination is overwhelming to me."

Her grandson, first-grader Chandler Walker, made a Game Boy stand.

The gifted classroom also showcased first semester projects about inventors of the past.

Megan's first-semester project was a tribute to Ruth Wakefield, who created the chocolate chip cookie, but she has another favorite inventor.

"Mine is Benjamin Franklin, because he did so much for his community and he had an awesome mind," said Megan.

Terry Wood lauded her student's creations as the evening came to a close.

"Isn't it fascinating how their minds work?" she said. "They really create things out of their own interests and needs."

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