Antonio Meucci Young Inventors' Competition Names 2010 Winners

On Sunday, April 25 in the auditorium of St. Joseph's Parochial School in Rosebank, winners were chosen for the 2010 Antonio Meucci Young Inventors' Competition. Each finalist was given 5 minutes to present his or her original idea for a new invention/product or an improvement on an existing one. The judges-Soo-Jung Kim, Administrator, Public Affairs for Time Warner Cable and Frank Cicero, professor of physics at Staten Island Technical High School-were looking for simple, creative solutions to common problems, as well as an understanding of the scientific principles behind the invention.

Friends and family were treated to lunch and complimentary tours of the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum while they awaited the judges decisions. At 2 pm, the winners were announced.

Runners-Up winners were Dominic Torre of St. Clare's School for his "Silicone Splash Guard" and Patrick Domingo of St. Joseph's Parochial School for his "Solar Powered Food Peeler." They received Robitikits Build Your Own Solar kits.

Third Prize winners were Jennifer Lloyd of St. Clare's School for her "Food Processor 101" and Nicklaus Pangilinan of St. Clare's School for his "Never Lose Golf Ball." They received Milestones in Science: The 100 Most Significant Experiments and Discoveries of All Time experiment kits.

Second Prize winners were Jacqueline Rocchio of St. Clare's School for her "Sunscreen Tag," Joseph O'Keefe of St. Clare's School for his "Auto Darkening Windshield," and Nicole Imnesi of St. Clare's School for her "The Returning Soccer Ball." They received Fuel Cell Car experiment kits.

First Prize winners were Michael McMillen of St. Joseph's Parochial School for his "The Booksmart," Christopher Paradiso of St. Clare's School for his "Wavetricity-Blue Energy," and Erika Olsen of St. Clare's School for her "Tech Cane." They received HP Mini Netbook computers.

Though all students in grades 6 through 8 who live and go to school on Staten Island were invited to participate, only students from St. Clare's School and St. Joseph's Parochial School submitted entries. The contest was named for inventor Antonio Meucci. In keeping with his legacy of ingenuity and innovation, the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, in conjunction with Time Warner Cable, sponsors the Antonio Meucci Young Inventors' Competition each spring. For more information call 718-442-1608. The Garibaldi-Meucci Museum is owned and operated by the Order Sons of Italy in America.

The Garibaldi-Meucci Museum was the home of Antonio Meucci, the true inventor of the telephone, and a refuge to Giuseppe Garibaldi, the legendary hero who championed the unification of Italy. For over 50 years the museum has fulfilled its mission to preserve the legacies of these great men, and to promote understanding of the Italian-American heritage through cultural, artistic and educational programs and classes. Regular museum hours are 1 pm - 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $5 per person, members and children under 10 are free. Call ahead for groups of 10 or more. The first floor of the museum is wheelchair accessible. More information can be found at its website www.garibaldimeuccimuseum.org