Invention competition draws 250 students
January 31, 2006
The 19th annual Astounding Inventions competition drew over 250 young inventors to the college on Saturday, Jan 28. More than 3,000 students in kindergarten through eighth-grade had worked through the fall and their winter break to develop creative inventions they conceived and crafted by hand for the competition. The students, who were chosen as finalists to attend the competition, represented 40 schools in Irvine and Tustin Unified School Districts.
Their inventions ranged from the whimsical, like the Pancake Shaper Cameron McBride from Tustin’s Loma Vista Elementary made
because he “doesn’t like straight lines,” to the safety conscious, like the Light Buddy that Christopher Paplham from Irvine’s Vista Verde Elementary made for bicycle riding. His special bicycle helmet, made of high-impact plastic, is adorned with flashing lights to alert drivers and pedestrians.
First-place division winners at each grade level received $50 and a blue ribbon, second-place division winners received $25 and a red ribbon, and honorable mentions received a white ribbon and certificate.
Winning inventions were judged on their originality, usefulness, written description and illustration.
About 450 parents, family and friends attended the judging segment and the daylong creative, educational, and “participatory” scientific demonstrations and contests.
Astounding Inventions was conceived by the college in 1987 to promote creativity and interest in mathematics and science education among area students. Several past winners have gone on to compete at different levels of state and national math and science invention competitions. Some previous winners also have been featured guests on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”