It's official -- call it a dynasty.
For the sixth consecutive year, a team of students from Hyde Park Middle School has been chosen finalists in the National Science Foundation's student inventors competition -- this time, for developing a child-proof matchbook.
Kristin Jorgensen, MacKenzie Kenner and Kyle Bryant, all seventh graders at Hyde Park's Math and Science Academy -- a Clark County School District magnet program -- will go to Walt Disney World in June to compete against nine other teams. The grand prize includes $5,000 in savings bonds for each student and $25,000 in seed money to develop their invention.
The Christopher Columbus Awards program, now in its seventh year, challenges middle schoolers to identify a community problem and come up with a scientifically based solution.
Hyde Park teacher Steve Lloyd has spearheaded the school's competition entries, said Principal James Kuzma.
"I give (Lloyd) and the students full credit," Kuzma said. "It's a lot of hard work on all of their parts."
After learning two-thirds of all fires involving young children are caused by playing with matches, the Hyde Park students met with the National Fire Prevention Agency and local firefighters to come up with potential solutions. The students ended up designing a matchbook with two hooks and latches on the cover.
After testing their prototype with children ages 4 to 8, the students found younger children could not open the latches. The oldest children, ages 7 to 8, were able to unhook the cover but only after about 20 seconds of fiddling.
Nearly 2,000 students compete nationwide in the annual competition. Last year's finalists from Hyde Park patented their design, a key ring beeper that sounds if a parent forgets to remove a child from a car seat.
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