Kid Geniuses: Young Inventors Earn State Awards, Head To Nationals

COMMUNITY NEWS Kid Geniuses Young Inventors Earn State Awards, Head To Nationals

By Jondi Gumz

Tabitha Bane, a fifth grader at Bradley Elementary School in Corralitos, repurposed a seat belt buckle to create a safer tow strap for when she goes mountain biking with her dad and the trail goes uphill. Olivia Potes of Aptos, a fifth grader

Tabitha Bane at Main Street School in Soquel, invented a self-sucking straw for her grandfather who has trouble using a regular straw because of Parkinson’s.

Isabella Davalos of Freedom, a sixth grader at Ceiba College Prep in Watsonville, needed sturdier eyeglasses after breaking the hinges on six pairs so she created glasses with frames that connect via tiny magnets

Tabitha, Olivia and Isabella are just three of the 17 Santa Cruz County elementary school students who are on their way — virtually — to the Invention Convention U.S. Nationals after winning awards at the California Invention Convention, which fea tured 150 students from throughout California.

Of the 17 who qualified for the U.S. Nationals, three also earned Industry Honors, Jonah Guyer and Oliver Willett for waterproof protection for a medical pump, and Jacob Leonard for a household tool.

The virtual awards ceremony will take place on July 2 at 4 p.m. as a Facebook watch party on Invention Convention Worldwide’s page.

Tabitha’s invention, which she calls Kid of the Mountain, won the “most marketable” award from the Watsonvillebased Central Coast Patent Agency which is giving her a provisional patent so she can take her invention forward.

“Kids like to go on bike rides with adults but it’s hard to keep up with them on the uphills,” she explained.

Her dad, Ryan Bane, a senior planner with the city of Santa Cruz, used to use a tow strap, but her mom worried it would get tangled in the wheels and make them crash.

Tabitha reports her solution, the seat belt buckle with a strap attached to her dad’s bike seat and her handlebars, doesn’t sag, doesn’t jerk her forward when she is towed uphill and is easy to connect and disconnect.

“I can get help up the hills, go fast down hills with him, and have a safer and easier way to be towed,” she said. •••

Other Winners Going to Nationals

Theo Esposito of Aptos, a fifth grader at Watsonville Charter School of the

Arts, was inspired by a trip to the beach to invent “paper plates” made of 75 percent seaweed. Zander Ross of Aptos, a fourth grader at Watsonville Charter School Of The Arts, invented what he calls The Water Holder 2020, a measuring spoon with a lid for cooking for his grandfather who has Parkinson’s.

Curren Tran of Aptos, a fifth grader at Main Street Elementary in Soquel, invented the Solar Powered Backpack Fan Cell Phone Charger. Tran has asthma, and he wanted help staying cool on hikes.

Moya Buffenmyer, a sixth grader at Watsonville Charter School Of The Arts, invented Sneaky Spray, a batterypowered water-spraying device that kept her cats from running outside.

Damian Moreno, a fifth grader at Watsonville Charter School Of The Arts, created the Hands Free Brella, pieces of fabric he sewed and attached to his backpack with Velcro straps to hold an umbrella on rainy days.

Austin Pieracci, a third grader at Bradley Elementary, Corralitos, invented a see-through mobile Tortoise Box so he could keep an eye on his pet.

Gianna Fanara, a fifth grader at Brook Knoll Elementary in the Scotts Valley school district, invented The PasteBrush, a travel-size combination toothbrush with toothpaste.

Nate Jones and Milo Woodruff, fifth graders, Gateway School, Santa Cruz, invented the Produce Protector, a scarecrow that can move and scare garden scavengers.

Piper Garrett, fifth grader at Gateway School, Santa Cruz, invented Solo Soccer Touch Trainer, a net to hold a ball attached to a corkscrew that can be planted in the ground to kick the ball around.

Kate Reynolds, fifth grader at Gateway School, Santa Cruz, invented Windmill on Wheels.

Jonah Guyer and Oliver Willett, sixth graders, Happy Valley Elementary, Santa Cruz, invented the Splash Bag, to help Oliver’s cousin Paige with pulmonary hypertension by making a watertight case for her pump so she could safely take a shower or go in a

Some of the extraordinary elementary school students from Santa Cruz County. Top row (from left): Theo Esposito, Moya Buffenmyer, Curren Tran • Bottom row (from left): Olivia Potes, Zander Ross, Isabella Davalos swimming pool. The students got a demo pump from Stanford Medicine and won first prize at the Santa Cruz County Science and Engineering Fair and The Lemelson Early Inventor Prize.

Jacob Leonard , fifth grader, Brook Knoll Elementary, Scotts Valley, invented the Drop-Shirt Hanger, which bends and allows the shirt to skip into your hand. •••

Industry Honors

Other county students who also won industry awards

Sports, Games, Entertainment, and Toys: Benjamin and Nicholas Acton: fifth graders at Brook Knoll Elementary, invented The New Chain Gang, a football first down measuring device.

Home Technology, Smart Homes, Appliances: Mark Kristien Bayog and Elliot Roth-Bensusan, fifth graders at Bradley Elementary, invented the Cook Cam to help people with disabiliites monitor their cooking. It has a camera, thermometer and is easy to use.

Agriculture (Food, Machinery, Tools), Pets, and Animal Care: Isabella and Mariana Lobato Vicencio, eighth graders at Alianza Charter School, Watsonville, invented Turkey Scarecrow.

Home Organization: Karine Silva , fourth grader at Watsonville Watsonville Charter School Of The Arts, invented the Cleaner Holder to keep supplies in a kitchen or bathroom cabinet, more organized. 2010 Transportation Award: Keana Castillo, a fourth grader at Watsonville Watsonville Charter School Of The Arts, invented a removable vehicle door rain visor. n