Student inventors win $10K with creative, realistic plans

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WASHINGTON — On the top floor of the National Press Club, inventors, science teachers and Toshiba executives gathered around tables Friday to discuss plans for the inventions of the future: a football game for the blind, a tongue spray to make healthy foods taste sweet, a plan for new bioplastics.

But these inventors aren't what one would expect. They are all under 18.

The inventors, all students in grades kindergarten through 12, are here for the 16th annual ExploraVision awards, an innovation competition run by Toshiba and the National Science Teachers Association.

The eight teams around the room represent the first and second place winners in each of four categories, by grade level: kindergarten through three, four through six, seven through nine and 10 through 12. They have worked for months to prepare prototypes and websites about their ideas.

USA Today