In the Classroom -- A real time solution

Deirdre Newman

In coming up with an idea for the science fair, Newport Elementary

sixth-grader Eric Holland didn’t have to look any further than his own

sidewalk. Newport Beach had recently installed new storm drains in front

of his house and it didn’t take long for the perceptive student to notice

all the oil and trash swirling down the drain.

“It made him sick,” said mom Teri.

Eric, an avid sailor and surfer, was concerned about the runoff

polluting the bay, one of his favorite recreational spots.

So when he got the assignment to create an invention for the science

fair, he set out to do what Newport Beach city officials haven’t quite

got a handle on -- stopping urban runoff.

“I kind of feel mad because the city’s not doing much about it,” Eric

said.

While the city is shopping around for devices to control the problem

that will cost tens of thousands of dollars, Eric used materials costing

only about $15.

He used fence mesh attached to a containment sock oil absorber. A

circular bar behind the mesh attaches to the drain and keeps it in place

during a heavy storm.

As part of the project, students also had to keep a journal of their

ideas and sketches as their invention progressed from concept to a

reality. Eric worked on his journal with his trademark intensity and

resolve, said Teri, admitting that his family was a little skeptical when

they first heard of the idea.

“When we saw [the journal], we thought maybe this will come about,”

Teri said. “And when we saw it hook onto the drain, we thought how

clever.”

While there hasn’t been enough rain this season to fully test Eric’s

contraption, just seeing it displayed at open house garnered rave reviews

from his peers and teachers.

“Everybody came up to me afterward, including kids from other classes,

and told me what a good job I did,” Eric said.

During the open house, Eric received both blue and green ribbons,

which means his invention was selected for a special district exhibition

and awards ceremony next week.

His teacher, Monica Mathers, said she admired Eric for tackling such a

timely problem.

“I told him we’re very proud of him because that’s a real problem we

face,” Mathers said. “I grew up in Dover Shores. Our backyard is

literally on the bay so I know how dirty it can get.”

* IN THE CLASSROOM is a weekly feature in which Daily Pilot education

writer Deirdre Newman visits a campus in the Newport-Mesa area and writes

about her experience.