‘Blinky Belt’ Invention Wins 5th-Grader $200

A fifth-grade student at Helen Estock Elementary School won the grand prize in an invention fair for “Blinky Belt,” a seat belt with a blinking light attached so it can be found easily in the dark.

Stephanie Smith won $200 in savings bonds for her winning entry in the “Astounding Inventions of the Future” fair at Irvine Valley College.

The fair has been held annually for the past eight years to promote interest in mathematics and science among elementary and middle school students in Tustin, Irvine and Laguna Beach unified school districts.

The fair featured 250 hand-made inventions selected from more than 2,000 entries. The entries were grouped according to grade level, and winners were picked based on originality, usefulness, written description and illustration.

First-place winners each received $100 savings bonds, and those in second place each got $50 in savings bonds, donated by Rockwell International and Motorola Corp.