Makerfaire

Trey is just loving his time spent in the gifted program at school. It gives him something different to look forward to through the weeks, challenges his mind to think in different ways, and allows him time spent relating to kids who are very much like him. It's been such a good thing.

The first gifted event of the year happened last Friday. It was called Makerfaire, a showcase for student inventions mostly revolving around the principles of physics. Every single bit of the exhibition - from the research to the building of the invention, then the setup and demonstration and even clean-up at the fair - was handled by third through fifth grade gifted students from every elementary school in our county. So impressive, all of it.

Trey's team built earthquake shake tables, and the challenge for their fellow students was to construct a three-story building out of cards and masking tape that could withstand a 7.0-magnitude earthquake. Trey spent a shift at his table, describing their invention to others and helping them test their structures, and then he was able to walk around and test out some of the other inventions.

Setting up

The shake table

Manning his team's table

Life-size Angry Birds

Skee-ball

Paper airplane launcher

Build-your-own marble run

Alka-seltzer bombs

Tiny volcanoes

Balloon propulsion race

How encouraging as a parent to see your sometimes-distant and attitudinal tween light up at the mental stimulation and discovery of possibilities, and what fun there is to be had in education. A great day, and we are so proud of Trey.