Inventive Minds At Work
Illawarra Mercury
Thursday February 10, 2005
UNANDERRA Public School students yesterday proved that with a bit of imagination they could invent anything from robotic volcanoes to automated tents.
A select few of the students from Years 2 and 3 will have their work uploaded onto the White Pages website for the whole world to see.The exercise was part of the 125th anniversary of White Pages, which also saw a restored 1960s bus - decked out with a wireless computer network, a satellite, laptops and large plasma screens - visit the school."To celebrate, we've put together a national program that will travel around the country and will visit primary schools and communities," bus co-ordinator and Sensis media liaison Stephen Ronchi said.The bus will visit 18 cities across Australia, giving children the opportunity to learn about communication technologies and how to develop words and pictures for use on the internet.Year 2 student Jake Austin invented a robotic volcano, which he later saw on the White Pages website."It's like a real volcano but it blows up (using) an engine in it," Jake said.Year 3 student Cailum Kostiuc designed a flying cart that can shoot out fire, while classmate Blake Spencer drew a skateboard powered by rockets.Meanwhile, Breanna Nason was designing an automated tent."You press a button and it goes up and when you want to pull it down, you push another button and then it comes down," he said. Some inventions can be seen at www.whitepages.com.au. Follow the links to White Pages 125th Anniversary Bus.Numbering the pagesThe White Pages consisted of 44 numbers on one page when it was first printed in 1880. Today, more than eight million residential, business and government phone numbers are listed. About 11 million copies of the White Pages are printed each year, including six metropolitan directories and 49 regional directories. White Pages OnLine also celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
© 2005 Illawarra Mercury