I got “volunteered” to be a judge a the local elementary school’s science fair – featured projects from grades 1-4. I like it because it feeds my inner geek and I like teaching kids stuff. I also like being surprised at the ingenuity of some of these kids. My fave? A couple of fourth grade boys who created the SparkBrush(tm). Its basically a toothbrush with an attachment that comes out of the handle, loops around the front and has a flashlight bulb/switch/battery – so you can brush your teeth in the dark.
The invention may or may not be a hit – but what I loved was the enthusiasm of the inventors. They had scale drawings on graph paper – not just of the final device, but of the original idea, then some refinements, and then finally a working prototype. The photos and explanations were worthy of Make magazine. They even had a circuit diagram. These guys rock.