Water Good Idea!
At 3pm on Tuesday 13 June, 5 pupils and their teachers from Netherlee Primary, East Renfrewshire leapt with excitement as they heard that the pupils’ invention “Aqua-Rist” had been awarded top prize at the National Finals of Tomorrow’s Inventors - a competition organised by Careers Scotland and designed to encourage and recognise creativity and innovation in our P4 - P7 primary classrooms.
With a keen eye on health and fitness, the P7 children came up with their idea, “Aqua–Rist” - an innovative advance on the traditional ways that athletes and sports-people use to maintain hydration whilst taking exercise. Designed to be worn on the wrist, and incorporating water-valve technology, the “Aqua-Rist” gives wearers easy, hands-free access to water during exercise.
To continue the water theme, the Netherlee pupils told Mandy Sykes, Careers Scotland that they were going to investigate using £500 of their £600 prize money to purchase a well for a Third World community whose plight they had learned about in school.
“It just goes to show” said Luke P7 “that sometimes the simple ideas are the best!”
Callum a fellow P7 team-member, spoke further and said
“Tomorrow’s Inventors helped us realise that there are creative jobs out there in Scotland waiting to be done. I’d like to set up a business myself one day!”“
Competition judges included astronauts and scientists from NASA, and a representative from the Scottish technology and innovation sector. The judges were particularly impressed by the systematic development of the initial idea through to the final working prototype and very professional business plan.
Pictured making the presentation to the winning Netherlee pupils is Bill McArthur, NASA astronaut, who returned to earth in April following a six month mission to the International Space Station, where among other things, he conducted two space walks.
The team secured their place at the National Final through classroom work on the invention process up to Christmas 2005 and by success at the Tomorrow’s Inventors Regional Heat, held April 2006. Here they beat off stiff competition from 17 fellow primary schools in Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.
Class teacher to the winning team, Mary O’Duffin, a newcomer to the Tomorrow’s Inventors project said
“This has been a fantastic problem-solving and creative experience for the children. Their hard work and teamwork has driven the project, and we have all learnt so much along the way. We have explored the key processes of invention, from ideas generation, through to setting up a business and marketing. We will definitely be taking part again next year!”
Other awards were made at the National Finals as follows:
- Best Business Plan Croftmalloch Primary
- Best Marketing Killearn Primary
- Best Presentation Knightsridge Primary
- Best Model Our Lady of the Annunciation Primary
- Peer Award Our Lady of Lourdes Primary
- Innovative Invention Wormitt Primary
The Tomorrow’s Inventors National Final took place at the Glasgow Science Centre and was part of Scotland's Festival of Science and Enterprise 2006. The Festival is organised by Careers Scotland and comprises a programme of events across Scotland to inspire young people to study science and consider it as their career.
The Festival is supported by an international team of astronauts, cosmonauts, scientists and engineers who visit schools in every Local Education Authority area with the aim of providing inspiration to more than 25,000 young people.
Alex Blackwood, head of enterprise in education, Careers Scotland said:
“The Careers Scotland Festival of Science and Enterprise is a unique celebration of innovation, science, technology and creativity and it is a remarkable opportunity for the young people and teachers who take part."
“We aim to give every young person the confidence and motivation to reach for their goals. Inspiring students to choose science subjects is something NASA and their fellow scientists do better than most”.
23/06/06
