IRVINE : Youths’ Inventions on Display at Fair

Irvine Valley College’s annual invention fair over the weekend drew more than 750 people, who examined the creations of local elementary and junior high school students.

About 300 students from Irvine and Tustin schools on Saturday displayed their often unusual inventions, which ranged from a toothbrush for people with braces to a bike-riding visor.

Allyson Pizula, a fourth-grader at Santiago Hills Elementary School in Irvine, won the grand prize for the most practical invention: a locking holder for a helmet.

Johnny Bodylski, a student at Loma Vista Elementary School in Santa Ana, won a prize in the first- and second-grade category for his solar-powered food and drink cooler.

Bryan Rossiter, a student at Brywood Elementary School in Irvine, won a prize in the fifth-grade category for his see-through toaster.

Some of those who attended the fair also took part in an invention contest in which they were given a bag of common household items and asked to transform them into something useful.

One inventor attached two inflated balloons to a paper plate to create an “earthquake air bag.” The device protects fragile valuables that are placed between the two balloons.