Over 80 Lee/Charlotte County Students Receive Scholarships or Awards at the Edison Festival of Light Inventors Fair Awards Ceremony
For Immediate Release
Contact – Re: Thomas A. Edison Regional Science & Inventor Fairs Media inquiries to
Jim Helms jimbhelms@hotmail.com or call 239-432-0970
Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School hosted the 31st annual Thomas A. Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Fair Awards Ceremony on Monday, January 22nd. The 200+ student exhibitors at the January 20th Thomas A. Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Fair event were judged by a group of three well- qualified judges based on such criteria as originality, usefulness, safety, research, marketability, presentation and business planning. Over 80 of these students were recognized for their outstanding inventions at Monday’s Award Ceremony.
The Edison Festival of Light (EFoL) has been a steadfast partner of the Inventors Regional Fair for over 25 years. The elementary, middle and high school Division Winners were Abigail Kohler (elementary), Autumn Rhodes (middle) and Cassondra Goss (high school). They will be honored by riding in the Edison Festival of Light Parade Saturday, February 17, 2018.
The EFoL granted two scholarships to deserving 12th ($2000) and 11th graders ($1000). The 12th grade winner was Cassondra Goss, To Save a Life-Visual Translation, home school. The 11th grade winner was Katlyn Hines, Moody Wheels, Mariner High.
The winner of a two year scholarship from Florida Southwestern State College was Jordan Brown, Athletes Monitor, Mariner High. The James and Eleanor Newton scholarship (through the Southwest Florida Community Foundation) bestowed a $4000 scholarship to Autumn Rhodes 7th Grade, Aero-Pressure Phones, Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle.The Florida Gulf Coast Institute for Entrepreneurship initiated a new scholarship this year with the winner being Cassondra Goss.
Several thousands of dollars in product prizes from Sony Electronics, Inc. were handed out. Awards and ribbons for 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st place winners for grade levels K-12 were conferred. Special Category Awards are made to exceptional inventions with the use of specific criteria set by the donor of the special category awards.
To view the entire Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Fair Award Ceremony please visit https://www.facebook.com/EdisonFairs/videos/1797474000554759/.
Please join us in congratulating the winners of this year’s Edison Festival of Light Inventors Fair.
The Thomas A. Edison Regional Science and Inventor Fair (TAERSIF) Steering Committee works year-round to organize and conduct the Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Science and Engineering Fair, the Suncoast Credit Union Elementary Science Expo and the Thomas A. Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Fair that host in total more than 1100 local students. Key partners of TAERSIF include the Fort Myers Kiwanis, Lee County and Charlotte County Public Schools, numerous private and parochial schools, Florida Gulf Coast University, the Edison Festival of Light, Florida Southwestern State College, Hodges University, the James and Eleanor Newton Scholarships, Sony Electronics, Imagine Solutions Conference, Daitch Family Foundation, Caloosa Bromeliad Society, The Edison & Ford Winter Estates, The IMAG History and Science Center, the Fort Myers Miracle baseball team, Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Pure Florida, Caloosa Veterinary Medical Society, Florida Power and Light, Doug MacGregor. The Edison Pageant of Light, the Entrepreneurs Society of Naples, the Scientist Society of Southwest Florida, Lee Memorial Health Systems, the Lee County Medical Society and numerous private donors and volunteers.