Registration Now Open for Antonio Meucci Young Inventors' Competition

Registration is now open to all New York and New Jersey school children, grades 3 through 8, for the Antonio Meucci Young Inventors' Competition. Sponsored by the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum and Time Warner Cable, the competition was inspired by the legacy of ingenuity and innovation manifested in the life of Antonio Meucci.

Students are invited to present an original idea for a new invention/product or an improvement on an existing one-anything from a helpful kitchen gadget to a machine that does your homework for you. Entrants must fill out an application and submit it with a clear explanation, as well as a sketch or photo of what the invention would look like. The invention or improvement must be a unique, original idea from the student. Winning submissions should be simple, creative solutions to common problems, and display an understanding of the scientific principles behind the invention.

All applications will be judged by museum staff members, and 15 finalists will present their entries to a panel of expert judges on Sunday, June 2, 2013, between 12 noon and 3 p.m., at the St. Joseph's Parochial School auditorium (139 St. Mary's Avenue at the corner of Tompkins Avenue in Rosebank, Staten Island). Prototypes are encouraged, even if they don't actually work. Cash prizes will be awarded.

Deadline for entries is Saturday, May 4. Please note: there is no entrance fee.

Throughout his lifetime, Antonio Meucci (1808-1889) was responsible for many inventions, improvements and ideas. In addition to his discovery of the telephone in 1848 and his development of that instrument over the next 30 years, Meucci manufactured smokeless candles, created a tea and coffee filtering system, made improvements in oil and kerosene lamps, perfected a process to make paper from wood pulp, and even canned tomato sauce.

For more information, or an application, visit www.garibaldimeuccimuseum.org or call 718-442-1608.