CVES students showcase innovation for common problems
Published 11:09 am Monday, May 20, 2019
By NATHAN HOWELL / Special to the Reporter
ALABASTER – Third graders at Creek View Elementary spent the day May 16 participating in their “Innovation Showcase” some of the creative solutions they came up with to solve common issues faced by them or people they know.
The showcase was an assignment given to students participating in the school’s gifted program which is taught by Melissa Foster. The task included identifying a specific problem, creating a solution, explaining how it works and creating a price.
“Have you ever lost your flippers while deep sea diving?” asked Ethan Pyle. “Well, the ‘Water Glider’, will help you glide back to the top of the water easily.”
Pyle went on to explain he created the concept for his idea based on sting rays and how they move, and also provided a generous price point of $182 for kids sizes and $283 for adults.
Another fascinating idea was the “Bed Bot 2000” created by Lily Hasenbein. It addresses the common problem that shorter people face when making bunk beds, and it will be available for the low price of $298.99.
“The Bed Bot 2000 makes sure you don’t fall off while making your bunk bed,” she explained. “It will also fluff up your pillows for you.”
Other creative inventions included the “Robot Teacher” from Gio Diaz, and an “Earth Day Helper” by Elena Priest that cleans up trash on the beach.
Foster said the the project was a way for her gifted students to think critically about problems that anyone could face and come up with a solution, even if that solution was not necessarily feasible.
The showcase also gave the students a chance to explain their concepts to students in lower grade levels, and learn how to really explain new information to someone.