Frontier girls win toy challenge

Girls from Frontier Elementary School proved they had no shortage of creativity when it came to the toys they invented for the annual National Sally Ride Science Club Toy Challenge.

Two of the teams won honorable mention out of a field of more than 400 preliminary reports that were submitted.

Team Hershey Kisses, consisting of fifth-graders Sara Cosenza, Maggie Magadan, Elilie Masella and Elizabeth Satran received honorable mention in the most education category and Team X-statics, consisting of seventh-graders April Dickinson, Abbie Kulinec, Makenzie Middleton and Reyna Mosley received honorable mention in the originality division.

Team X-statics said they had the idea to invent the Koral Krawler because they live in Arizona, they wanted a toy kids could play with in the sun.

“It is a toy that works on land or water, you hook it up to a hose, it is a ring toss,” Abbie said. “We were in the competition last year and the judges gave us feedback, we made changes and it works better and is more fun.”

It also has originality, you can make up games with it, said Reyna, who said she is considering an engineering career.

Team Hershey Kisses explained their toy invention called Ocean Life was a human board game.

“You spin a giant fish and if the circle says draw a question, then you have to answer it,” Elilie said.

Team members worked all school year to create, invent and build the science projects.

The club, led by sixth-grade science teacher Ellen Marin, was open to fifth- to eighth-grade girls to increase their interest in science.

Club members also planned and executed fundraisers to earn money for the summer trip to San Diego May 31 where they competed in the national competition held at Qualcomm Stadium.

To earn an invitation to the national event, team members submitted a six-page preliminary report describing a toy that fit into one of three categories: Get Out and Play; Toys that Teach; or Toys for the Family.

A team of engineers reviewed the entries and selected which teams would compete in the national competition, then build a working model of the toy and prepare a seven-minute oral presentation.

“I'm so proud of the girls and their accomplishments,” Marin said. “It gave me goose bumps just watching them standing so proudly in front of the judges as they presented their invention. They were articulate, creative and confident.”

Also competing in the national challenge from Frontier Elementary were: Team Smarties consisting of Savannah Brimley, Sarah Gilmour, Nicole Jarman, Cassie Jones and Bailey Nelson; and Team S.P.C., consisting of Paris Jennings, Samantha Lopes and Carlie Schimmel.