Newtown High School Student Earns A Patent

For Eighth Grade Invention

By Eliza Hallabeck

When she was in eighth grade, Zoe Eggleston designed a device that could measure the depth of ice, and at the Board of Education’s meeting on Thursday, November 8, Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson announced Zoe recently earned a patent for that device.

“One of our seniors is going to graduate as an inventor,” said Dr Robinson before introducing Zoe to speak at the meeting.

Zoe said she received the patent for the device on October 28.

“We’re very proud to have you here tonight, Zoe,” said Dr Robinson.

With the device before her, Zoe explained her idea earned the patent, not the contraption — created from a kick-board, remote control cars from her brother, and some PVC pipe.

“It indicates the thickness of ice on a lake without having to go out onto the water, so it is a safety device,” said Zoe. “It works by putting this out into the water before the water freezes.”

Her device floats on the lake before the ice freezes, and after the ice is formed the device can be used to measure how thick the ice is. Zoe said, while in eighth grade, that she wanted to solve the problem of measuring ice because she used to go ice fishing with her father.

After Zoe’s invention was designed, Newtown Middle School science teacher Bev Andracchi chose her, along with five other NMS students, to attend that year’s Invention Convention in Storrs. About 60 eighth grade students submitted inventions that year, and Kiera Cohane, Melanie Curtis, Victoria Hanulik, Alie Kron, David Swigart, and Zoe were chosen as finalists.

After attending the competition, Melanie received the Recognized Inventor Award for her spill-free mixing bowls, and Zoe won for having the most patentable invention.

At first, Zoe said she did not know what a patent was, but when she learned she could file for one without having to build her invention, the eighth grader did so.

“It really opened my eyes to what I could do,” said Zoe.

While taking NHS’s Junior/Senior Project course last school year, Zoe spoke to students about the Connecticut Invention Convention to help encourage other students to participate, and she is now the Newtown schools representative with the Connecticut Invention Convention.

Her participation and experience in eighth grade also helped her find what she wants to study in college, said Zoe. She said she is applying to the University of Connecticut as a mechanical engineering major, and to other schools.

“You may be saving lives with this invention,” said BOE Chair Debbie Leidlein.

During the meeting’s public participation, Zoe’s mother Kathy Mayer said she wanted to say publicly what success her daughter has had in Newtown’s schools. Zoe, Ms Mayer said, is a special education student with a reading disability, and it has been “very possible” for her to excel in physics and other subjects.

“It’s been just a pleasure,” said Ms Mayer. Adding later, “You guys should be really proud of what’s going on up there at the high school.”