Posted February 2020
From biodegradable balloons to taco drones, students showed off their original inventions at the Kyrene School District Gifted Showcase. 5th grade students proudly displayed their projects and prototypes that outlined the conceptual process, creative design and final trials.
Students enrolled in gifted enrichment courses at Kyrene schools spend two to three hours per week in a class instructed by a gifted resource teacher. These classes are designed to enhance students’ critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. “My favorite thing about gifted is that it teaches us how to think out of the box,” shared Elise Coutain, Kyrene de la Sierra 5th grade student and inventor of the “Super Squirt” cleaner. Elise’s invention, which includes a rubber glove, sponge and clear pouch, helped solve a unique problem in her household: cleaning the cage of her Albino Indian Ringneck, Pikachu.
Gavin Wishart of Kyrene de las Lomas invented a different kind of “cleaning” solution. He created the “1, 2 Diaper Sensor,” which eliminates the need to constantly check if diapers need to be changed. A small wire placed inside the diaper sends a signal to a hand-held remote when it’s full. “My favorite part about creating the invention was trying to get the wire in the diaper, it was really challenging,” Gavin said.
Like most students, Devansh Rao of Kyrene de la Sierra asked those around him what problems they face every day. His invention, the “ALARMAX,” is designed to make mornings more peaceful by doing away with traditional, abrupt alarm clocks. In place of a buzzer, he pointed to a multitude of colored wires attached to a Raspberry Pi™ single-board computer.
Devansh talked about how participating in Kyrene’s gifted programming helps him in more ways than one. “One of the best things about gifted is that during this process we also did Breakout Boxes, and the escape room puzzles helped me to de-stress when I felt stuck.”
This was just the first of two Gifted Showcase Nights in Kyrene. Gifted students from more schools will present inventions at the second showcase, on February 19.
Devansh Rao of Kyrene de la Sierra showing off his ALARMAX.
Elise Coutain of Kyrene de la Sierra showing a peer how the Super Squirt cleaning glove works.
Gavin Wishart of Kyrene de las Lomas and his 1, 2 Diaper Sensor
