Students at John Long Middle School recently transformed the school’s cafeteria and gymnasium into a venue where students showed off inventions they created, based on their ideas.
The school’s Maker Mania community night was inspired by the concept of Maker Faire, an international movement which encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to produce something unique of their own.
John Long Middle was the first public school in Pasco County to have such a fair, last year, and it was so successful that this year, the school invited the community — as well as the students’ families — to come take a look.
There was plenty to see.
Throughout the cafeteria and gymnasium, long rows of booths showcased creations from 76 students, in sixth through eighth grades.
As people stopped by, students explained what they had made and demonstrated how it works.
“The focus is to learn how to do something they didn’t already know how to do,” explained Darcy Cleek, a science teacher at John Long.
Students are taught about the process of engineering, but they also learn how to market their products, Cleek said.
Eleven-year-old Ava Krutulis, for instance, had a booth displaying her name brand ‘AK Toys,’ which she came up with using her initials.
As part of her brand, she presented her blue robotic snake to viewers.
The snake’s head, body and pointy tail were carefully shaped and constructed from pieces of plastic — held together with toothpicks, beads, hot glue and thumb tacks.
Ava explained the source of inspiration for her project: “My sister really wanted a snake, but we can’t (have one).”
Her mother, Gina, chuckled recalling her response to the request for a real pet snake: “Mom said no,” she said.
Ava decided to make the next best thing.
During her demonstration, the toy snake twisted and slid across the floor with the help of a battery-operated motor.
Down the hall in the gymnasium, Isabel Martinez, 11, displayed her homemade lava lamp.
The sixth-grader said the idea caught her eye while she was doing research on Google.
Soda bottles containing water and oil were each placed on light pads so there would be a glow on the inside.
Her booth had instructional poster boards, and she explained how the lava lamp works, while demonstrating.
Vegetable oil and water don’t mix, so when I put the Alka-Seltzer in, the water reacts and pushes it up towards the oil,” she said.
Along with the tablets, Isabel dropped in food coloring, creating an even more interesting visual.
Next to Isabel stood Breanna Martin whose project used different colors of water, released through syringes, to move a hydraulic arm up, down or forward.
The 13-year-old said her father who works in construction, and with hydraulic equipment, helped her with her project.
Besides learning how water pressure works, she also learned how to advertise, she said.
“This would help manufacturers,” she added. “Before you have to present something on what you want to build, you have to show them a diagram.”
Back in the cafeteria, 11-year-old Logan Cantele displayed something similar, but more computerized.
“I have a claw machine that moves on wheels,” he stated. “It’s a reliable source.”
The Claw Rider runs on four motors to help move it up, down, to spin and clench small objects.
Using an app on his tablet and a remote control, Logan demonstrated how the claw could pick up a ball and place it inside a cup.
The sixth-grader was compelled to create the machine because his late great-grandmother once had limited mobility.
“What I have here is something that can help someone that can’t walk or can’t really do much,” he said.
When asked if his project helped him develop a greater appreciation for science, he replied, “you bet it does – especially the engineering part.”
Sylvana Armstrong, a sixth-grader, made what is essentially a music box.
She redesigned a portable speaker with painted cardboard – an Alien Party Time Music Box.
She demonstrated with a Bluetooth how to connect her phone to the portable speaker.
As she pulled up a music video on YouTube, she could watch the visual and pace around while getting amplified sound at a distance from the speaker.
She said she wanted her project to be unique, and she said, overall, being involved in Maker Mania has helped her to become more creative.
The faculty at John Long didn’t set out to have the students compete with one another, but to learn the fundamentals of being an inventor.
“The things that you can’t get away from [are] critical thinking and problem solving,” Cleek said.
“That’s at the heart of what this whole thing’s about.”
As Cleek surveyed the booths and the crowds of students, she said the sight makes her feel hopeful about the future.
Published December 26, 2018
