Don?t think liver, brussels sprouts and broccoli are pleasing to a fickle palate?
No problem. A team of third-graders at Broadneck Elementary School will have people thinking they?re eating something delicious.
Three students developed a flavoring machine concept to make healthy foods taste better to win a regional place in the 16th annual Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association ExploraVision Awards program.
“A picky eater who doesn?t like eggplant can push a button and make it taste like chocolate,” said Katie White, one of the students on the winning team, during Monday?s awards ceremony at the Arnold school.
The ExploraVision program is one of the world?s largest student science and technology competitions open to students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
The “Micro Flavor” invention from the team, also including students Samantha Cooke and Ashley Rambo, resembles a microwave, except items zapped inside will be infused with tasty Jelly Belly-inspired flavors.
Students had to develop an idea to improve the quality of life 20 years from now using existing technologies, like the microwave, while envisioning new technologies, said third-grade teacher and coach Terry Brown.
“That creative mind of a youngster keeps going,” said Bill Goodwin, an account manager with Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.
“It?s amazing what types of ideas they come up with.”
During the awards ceremony, the students received plaques and a goodie bag. The school also received a laptop and DVD player.
The Broadneck team, competing in the kindergarten-through-third-grade category, was one of only 24 regional winners out of more than 4,500 entries from more than 14,000 students.
Broadneck competed with students in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
The regional winners now are developing Web sites and prototypes of their inventions. In May, eight teams will be selected as finalists.
Students on four first-place teams will each receive a U.S. Savings Bond worth $10,000, while students on the four second-place teams will each receive $5,000 savings bonds.
