Emerging Edisons At St Rose

By LAURIE BORST

Published: Mar 16, 2007 12:00 am

Emerging Edisons

At St Rose

By Laurie Borst

Canât reach that ball under the sofa? Pets shedding everywhere? Canât find your glasses? These are just a few of the problems addressed at the St Rose Schoolâs Invention Convention.

Fifth graders in Beth Salarisâs science class presented their inventions Thursday, March 8. The students were given the assignment to find a common problem, brainstorm solutions, and create a prototype within a set budget.

The students also devised some clever names for the inventions, e.g., EZ Sneezy Tissue Box, Reacher Creature, Book-ama-Bob, Lolli Lovers, and Brubaker Book Holder, to name a few.

St Rose art teacher Samantha Kohler, Newtown Middle School GATES teacher Patrice Gans, and Schools Superintendent Evan Pitkoff judged the 26 inventions presented. Students gave a short explanation and demonstration of their projects.

While the judges deliberated, the students anxiously awaited the results. Finally, the winners were announced.

In third place was Daniel Hamar and his Piece Maker. An avid Legos fan, Danielâs invention consisted of stacked containers with increasingly smaller holes in the bottom. The pieces drop through, the larger pieces being captured in the upper trays, the smallest falling through to the bottom container.

Rachel Maguire took second place with her Safe-T-Shoe Lite. Concerned with peopleâs safety at night trying to carry several items plus a flashlight, Rachel created a light that can be attached to oneâs shoes, thereby freeing up the hands to juggle the load.

The first place prize went to Elizabeth Ludanyi. Elizabeth is an avid reader whose family takes a lot of long car trips. On these trips, Elizabeth likes to read, but at night, a light on inside the car can be distracting for the driver.

To alleviate the problem, Elizabeth devised the Light-urature that consists of a box with a light inside and flaps on the front with a cutout to read through. When finished reading, the box, held together with Velcro, collapses flat for storage.

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Yes, elections have consequences — Democrats lost. Now it’s time to deal with it instead of trying to turn every local race into a national political drama. Dragging “Project 2025” into a Newtown election is a stretch that borders on absurd. Our local government isn’t deciding national policy — it’s fixing roads, managing budgets, and keeping taxes reasonable. If you think Washington politics are running Town Hall, you haven’t been paying attention. Jeff Capeci and the local Republican team are focused on what actually matters here at home: fiscal responsibility, public safety, and smart development. That’s the kind of leadership Newtown needs — not scare tactics and conspiracy-laced talking points pulled from cable news.

Elections Have Consequences XVII

I’m not sure the author of that letter was actually at the debate, because she seems to have missed the portion near the end when Bruce Walczak couldn’t explain (remember?) how the town pays for its roads. That moment was uncomfortable to watch — and it underscored exactly why experience in town government matters. Jeff Capeci didn’t rely on “pat answers”; he relied on facts. His understanding of how Newtown operates — how projects are funded and how to actually get things done — comes from years of hands-on service, not theory or guesswork. And let’s be honest: it’s not a bad thing that Jeff Capeci was “practiced.” I want someone who prepares for a debate, who does their homework, and who takes the role of First Selectman seriously enough to be ready. Winging it might sound authentic, but it’s not leadership. At several points, Bruce struggled to follow along. He had to have a question repeated because he couldn’t hear, and at yet another point Jeff had to ask for clarification because no one could understand what Bruce was saying. It was clear he wasn’t answering the questions that were actually asked. It was shockingly reminiscent of a recent debate on the national stage.

After The Debate, I’m With Bruce

... he’s “not a politician.” That may sound appealing, but it’s a little disingenuous — Bruce has been trying to become one for the better part of twenty years. He’s run for local office multiple times, often under different party banners. That’s not the résumé of an outsider; that’s the record of someone who has been seeking political office for decades. Newtown voters deserve honesty. You can’t say you’re “not a politician” while campaigning for office year after year. Leadership isn’t about slogans — it’s about results, collaboration, and credibility.

It’s Time for Bold Change in Newtown

Open Letter to Dave Ackert. Mr. Ackert, you are a very angry and mean-spirited person who, in my recent memory, has never done anything but complain and has never shown anything but a one-dimensional uncompromising way of thinking. Want to change Newtown in a way you feel would be better? Then why don’t you RUN FOR OFFICE and stop hiding behind your ranting posts and letters and stop thinking that world revolves around you. Hating Trump (or Trump derangement Syndrome) HAS NOTHING to do with Newtown! Zero! I have talked with Democrats and “Never Trumpers” while out campaigning and knocking on doors that think critically and feel the same way. The Democrats have raised the taxes in Newtown to an unsustainable level and plan on making Newtown even more unaffordable in the future if they retain the majority. If you are not happy with how low (sarcastic) your taxes are? Vote for the Democrats. They will be more than happy to remedy that situation. They just passed a generational tax increase that if you read between the lines, essentially means if you don’t agree with the way they are stealing the innocence and charm out of Newtown, then leave. They have shown no regard to all the people that are struggling to pay their current taxes or rely upon the food pantry to put food on their table. At least the Republicans here in Newtown are dealing with real local issues and quite honestly have shown more common sense in the way the taxpayer’s money is spent. I think some of your arguments are valid, but I would like to see you use the intelligence God gave you in a more constructive way than just criticize. I am serious about you running for office. It would force you to see the big picture and maybe wield your influence in a more productive way.

Open Letter to Newtown’s Voting Majority

I appreciate your optimism about keeping national politics out of local government — we all want leaders who put Newtown first. But calling Paul a “centrist” just doesn’t match what we’ve seen. If you look at his comments online or watch the recent debate, Paul was the first to go negative and came across more like a national political candidate than a neighbor. That’s not the tone of someone trying to bring people together. Now, Paul is another story entirely. He’s honest, articulate, and clearly knows what he’s doing. Frankly, I think local Democrats would have been better off putting him at the top of their ticket.

I’m With Bruce And Paul

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