Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program Names 36 Winners
Selected From 8,000 2nd Through 8th Graders, 36 Earn $250, $500 or $5,000 Bonds; Two Will Win More
The 2003 Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program, among the largest invention competitions in the world, has selected 36 top prizewinners from more than 8,000 second through eighth graders nationwide. The program, now in its seventh year, is sponsored by Sears -- through its Craftsman® tools brand -- and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). The Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program annually invites children to invent a new tool or re-think an existing one.
Students' entries are judged in two grade categories -- second through fifth and sixth through eighth. Each of the two grade categories includes awards for six national finalists, six second-place regional winners and six third-place regional winners. In total:
-- 12 national finalists each will receive a $5,000 U.S. savings bond, as
well as a trip for themselves, their parents and their teachers to the
national awards ceremony in Chicago in September, at which time two
top winners of an additional $5,000 bond will be named;
-- 12 second-place regional winners each will receive a $500 U.S. savings
bond; and
-- 12 third-place regional winners each will receive a $250 U.S. savings
bond.
"The Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program inspires kids to dream and innovate, while they're creating imaginative, useful tools," said Bob Vila, popular home-improvement expert and spokesperson for the Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program.
"Children love to devise new ways to accomplish routine tasks and teachers appreciate the opportunity to get students excited about science. That's why we've experienced phenomenal growth in the Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program -- with nearly twice as many children entering this year than last year," said Dr. Gerry Wheeler, executive director of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).
The Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program is available in classrooms across America. The program is designed to teach students the scientific principles of how tools operate; introduce them to working with hand tools; encourage them to think creatively about the world around them; and enable them to develop practical solutions to everyday problems.
The 12 national finalists, 12 second-place regional winners and 12 third- place regional winners are as follows:
National finalists -- second-through-fifth-grade category ($5,000 bond):
Max Wallack, second grade Robert Gryder, fourth grade
Wayland Academy, Framingham, Mass. R.S. Payne School, Lynchburg, Va.
"The Great-Granny Booster Step" - "One-Armed Docking System" -
a wooden step and handle help an a latching device helps disabled
elderly person enter a minivan. people dock a boat -- without tying
any knots.
Jordan "Jo Jo" Murphy, fourth grade Chaon Hanson, fifth grade
Springdale School, Macon, Ga. St. Francis School, Lake Zurich,
"Mobile Ladder" - wheels on the Ill.
underside of a ladder make it "A-Rest-A-Crutch" - kickstands and
easier to move and, then, to climb. a clip-on seat added to crutches
help people "sit down and rest
every once in a while."
Carlos Pena III, fifth grade Betsy Armitage, second grade
Herod School, Houston, Texas Holmes Elementary School, San
"A Helping Hand" - magnetic palm Diego, Calif.
and fingers at the end of an "Fair Share Timer" - "like a giant
antenna retrieve hard-to-reach, egg timer" with five-minutes worth
metal items. of sand, to help kids share toys
and more.
National finalists -- sixth-through-eighth-grade category ($5,000 bond):
Emily Curran, sixth grade Jamila Jordan, eighth grade
Gallagher Middle School, Alice Deal Junior High School,
Smithfield, R.I. Washington, D.C.
"The Adjustable Hanger" - screws, "E-Z Shove" - "training wheels"
as well as a large and small rod, added to a curved shovel make it
help modify a hanger to fit various easier to lift and move snow.
items.
Trey (T.J.) Wiler, seventh grade Chandler Macocha, seventh grade
Windermere Prep School, Oxford Middle School, Oxford, Mich.
Windermere, Fla. "Wheelchair Backpack Holder" - a
"Hitch Helper" - guides a boat wheelchair's backpack conveniently
trailer to the ball of a hitch swivels forward via a lever.
while protecting the bumper of
the car or truck.
(T.J. was a 2002 national finalist
for another invention.)
Cynthia Sung, eighth grade Alexander Toporowicz, eighth grade
Duchesne Academy, Houston, Texas Our Lady of Perpetual Help School,
"Open-Door Alarm" - inserted Scottsdale, Ariz.
between a refrigerator's door and "Switch-Bristle-Brush" - a
frame, it sounds when the door's paintbrush handle easily switches
left open. brush heads for different paint
colors, bristles and sizes.
Second-place regional winners -- second-through-fifth-grade category ($500 bond):
Dalton Adams, fourth grade Ashley Kelsey, second grade
Rheems Elementary School, Timber Point Elementary School,
Rheems, Pa. East Islip, N.Y.
"Snap-a-Flag" - the American flag "Cookie Holder Deluxe" - a
rolls up or down, like a shade, to scissors-like device helps "dunk
be displayed easily and stored cookies in milk" so hands aren't
safely. "wet and yucky."
Alan Ismach, third grade Reagan Martin, second grade
Sagamore Hills School, Atlanta, Ga. W.C. Petty Elementary School,
"The Climb-up Ladder Chair" - a Antioch, Ill.
staircase attached to a chair helps "The Shower Mover" - a T-shaped
"my little sister get up into her pipe, on a straight pipe, slips
chair." over the shower head to move the
water flow easily.
Garth Gatson, third grade Ian Murray, third grade
Center Elementary School, Holmes Elementary School,
Center, Mo. San Diego, Calif.
"Flex Crutch" - a hinged crutch "The Paper Shaper" - a cylinder
bends so it can fit into a car or that, with water, turns shredded
another small space. paper into fireplace logs or
garden-mulching discs.
Second-place regional winners -- sixth-through-eighth-grade category ($500 bond):
John Kashmanian, sixth grade Katelyn Lepore, eighth grade
Gallagher Middle School, JFK Middle School, Port Jefferson
Smithfield, R.I. Station, N.Y.
"Kash Klaws Snow Shovel" - a shovel "Camping Toaster" - an eggbeater,
with "teeth" lifts ice under snow modified with a long fork, helps to
for "a finished job." toast hot dogs and other food over
a campfire.
Matthew Clark, eighth grade David Beresford, seventh grade
Liberty Middle School, Madison, Ala. Beresford Home School,
"Barrier" - a handle and hooks on a Northville, Mich.
piece of wood carry a skateboard "Easy Slide Hand Rail" - a "grab
and keep hands clean. bar slides up or down a notched
hand-rail," to help the elderly or
impaired climb stairs.
Jacob LeBouef, sixth grade Tera Poirier, eighth grade
Broussard Middle School, Trinity School, Spokane, Wash.
Broussard, La. "Poirier Board" - a narrow ironing-
"Convertible Crutch Chair" - a board attachment pulls out "to make
crutch quickly converts to a chair ironing shirtsleeves and pant legs
"when the user gets tired." easier."
Third-place regional winners -- second-through-fifth-grade category ($250 bond):
Elia Pepps, fifth grade Christy Moore, fourth grade
Four Corners School, Fairfield Elementary School,
Greenfield, Mass. Fairfield, Va.
"Kwik Brush Wheel Cleaner" - a tool "Ash Sifter" - sifts ashes from hot
designed to "brush off the wheels" coals, so ashes can be removed and
of a wheelchair. hot coals returned to a wood stove.
Jessica Christianson, fifth grade Hallie Kuchera, fourth grade
Summit Hill School, Alpharetta, Ga. St. Edward School, Waterloo, Iowa
"Easy Grip Toilet Plunger" - a "EZ Flip Clip" - "helps you open
handle affixed to a plunger makes containers with metal pour spouts"
it "easy to apply force." with the help of a lever.
Genna Guillot, fifth grade Ainsley Glad, fifth grade
Parkview Baptist School, Columbia Elementary School,
Baton Rouge, La. West Jordan, Utah
"The Dog Cleaning Door" - "a doggie "The Keasy" - a handle attached to
door with brush like bristles ... a key, "at a ninety degree angle"
on the inside edges." helps "people with arthritis turn
their key."
Third-place regional winners -- sixth-through-eighth-grade category ($250 bond):
Catherine Seibel, sixth grade Jonathan Jaeger, eighth grade
Saucon Valley Middle School, Lake Braddock Secondary School,
Hellertown, Pa. Burke, Va.
"Computer Helper" - an adjustable "The WheelChair Advantage" -
"mouse" holder "to help people handles on a wheelchair enable the
with wrist problems." user to move the chair with a
rowing-type motion.
Tabor Reins, sixth grade Jeff Dertinger, seventh grade
Vickery Creek Middle School, ISD 206, Alexandria, Minn.
Cumming, Ga. "Lid-up" - levers open and close
"Super Sit Up Machine" - "holsters" the lid of a dumpster to "simplify
attached to a mat help people do garbage disposal altogether."
"sit ups or crunches."
Janina Taylor, eighth grade Aaron Vanderwal, sixth grade
Duchesne Academy, Houston, Texas Brown Junior High School,
"Auto-Measure" - device in a Henderson, Nev.
container "eliminates the need "The Handy Toilet Seat Handle" - a
to buy separate measuring cups." handle on the seat "makes using the
toilet a lot more sanitary and
convenient."
For more information on the Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program, write to Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards, c/o National Science Teachers Association, 1840 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201-3000; call toll-free 1-888-494-4994; or e-mail younginventors@nsta.org . Information also is available at NSTA's Web site, www.nsta.org/program/craftsman .
Founded in 1944, the National Science Teachers Association is the world's largest organization dedicated to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. The association's current membership of more than 55,000 includes science teachers and supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in science education.
Craftsman is the top-selling tool brand in America, and a Sears-exclusive brand.
Sears, Roebuck and Co. is a broadline retailer with significant service and credit businesses. In 2002, the company's revenue was $41 billion. The company offers its wide range of apparel, home and automotive products and services to families in the U.S. through Sears stores nationwide, including approximately 870 full-line stores. Sears also offers a variety of merchandise and services through its Web sites, sears.com and landsend.com, and a variety of specialty catalogs.
SOURCE: Sears, Roebuck and Co.
CONTACT: Carol Simantz of Sears, Roebuck and Co., +1-847-692-6311
Web site: http://www.sears.com/