Top

National Inventors Day

February 10, 2012 by · Comments Off on National Inventors Day 

National Inventors Day, Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

A group of children at Vance Air Force Base trod in Franklin’s footsteps Tuesday, as they took part in the base school-age program’s initial Invention Convention.

The event was held in conjunction with National Kid Inventors’ Day, which is held annually on Jan. 17, the anniversary of Franklin’s birth. Franklin, who would go on to invent the lightning rod, bifocal glasses and the Franklin stove, created his first invention — a pair of swim fins for his hands — when he was just 12.

Sara Schubert, Vance school-age coordinator, said the children have caught the invention bug.

“It’s really inspired the kids quite a bit,” she said. “They are loving it, so we are going to keep an ongoing invention (activity) area in our facility.”

There were nine inventions on display. Children were on hand to explain and demonstrate their inventions, then attendees were asked to vote on the best overall invention, as well as the best idea, design and presentation. The winner, who will be announced today, will receive the “Bright Minds, Big Ideas,” award. All the children, who range in age from kindergarten to the sixth grade, will receive participation awards.

Inventions ranged from The Amazing Robot, by Konnor Wright and Christian Laws, which was designed, according to an accompanying sign, to “Help the CIA by taking down criminals.” The robot, whose head consisted of a foam wig stand, was mounted on wheels and featured a light for spotlighting said criminals.

The Amazing Helping Frog, by Ethan Laws and Kenny Kirk, could be used to hold glasses or could secure papers in its hinged mouth. And, as the boys explained, if a child needed to be disciplined, you could clip the frog to the recalcitrant youngster’s ear.

Sidney Mcalear’s invention, The Timer, was designed to help her time her steps while jumping rope.

The Water Pillow, created by Connor Hayes, is a pillow that also holds water and dispenses it through a tube, thus enabling someone lying in bed to get a drink without having to get up.

Other inventors and their inventions were Emma Eckstein’s The Tocking Dog, Kaeligh Swain’s The Big Bubble, Lyndsey Lewis and Marriannah Perez’ Butterfly Alarm Clock, Jade Henderson’s Cat Heaven and Marrisa Hudson’s The Traveling Bag.

Bottom