A Lakeland Christian School seventh-grader is hoping his class project invention will reach millions of young learners.
Christian Herman has invented a device that slips over a pencil and shines a light when someone applies enough pressure while writing.
Herman said teachers at the school said some preschool and kindergarten students had a tough time learning to properly grip a pencil as they learned how to write. He used a computer-aided design program and 3D printers at Florida Polytechnic University to make his invention.
Herman said he tested the product on the young learners and they had success.
"I measure how many times they went through the carbon paper and some of them doubled," he said, indicating the children were pushing hard enough on the pencil when writing.
Christian's pencil grip project won first place at a regional science fair. He'll compete at the state level next week.
Herman's teacher, Jennifer Canady, is the director of the RISE Institute at LCS. RISE stands for research, innovation, stem learning and entrepreneurship. She said Herman achieved what the program is trying to instill.
"That there are very few limits to their ability to solve problems, real-world, interesting, important problems," she said.
Herman has started a Kickstarter account to raise money for his project. He is hoping to turn it into a real business. He has received a provisional patent for the product, which he hopes will be used by millions of people.