Waker-upper triumphs as cracking idea 2007
Biggest primary school innovation project rewards young inventors
A machine that keeps you awake even when you are bored or tired was named today (November 20) as the winner in the biggest ever project to encourage innovation amongst primary school children.
The Waker-Upper 3000 was designed by nine and ten-year-old pupils at East Allington Primary School, south Devon, and is the national winner of the 2007 Cracking Ideas project.
Oscar® winning animator Nick Park, whose creations Wallace & Gromit front the initiative which has gone in to all UK primary schools, picked the Waker-Upper 3000 as the winning invention.
Year
Five children and teachers around the UK have been logging on to www.crackingideas.com 
and following lesson plans linked with the National Curriculum which are designed to encourage innovation.
The competition within the project, which is run by the UK Intellectual Property Office, encouraged pupils to come up with a design to solve an everyday problem.
Today (November 20) finalists from six schools attended an awards ceremony at The Lightbox, Woking. The pupils from East Allington were presented with an original trophy created by Nick Park’s studio Aardman Animations. Each regional finalist also received a laptop computer.
Innovation Minister Lord Triesman was joined by celebrated British inventors Trevor Baylis, who came up with the wind-up radio, and Mandy Haberman, creator of the Anywayup Cup, as well as a life-sized Wallace & Gromit.
The Waker-Upper uses a mallet, headphones, a jet of water and eyelid openers to keep people awake during boring activities such as homework.
Among the other finalists was a machine for walking dogs, an invention to deal with pollution and a window and bathroom cleaner.
Nick Park said the Waker-Upper triumphed because it helped with a problem which every child faced.
"There was a fantastic range of entries showing how innovative children can be. The children at East Allington came up with an unforgettable solution in a creative way which made use of a wide variety of materials."
Lord Triesman said Cracking Ideas had been a tremendous success and confirmed that the government would continue to back the initiative with a new competition and activities planned for 2008.
"Thousands of lesson plans have been downloaded by teachers. It means that children are learning about innovation from a young age. We are encouraging an innovation culture in the UK and Cracking Ideas is a great way to start this process," he said.
Stephanie Colegate, head teacher of East Allington Primary School, said the pupils had worked hard to come up with their invention.
"They showed great imagination and innovation to come up with the Waker-Upper. We are proud to be the first winners of Cracking Ideas," she said.
Ellis
Naylor, Emily Baker, Tom Morris, all aged 10,
from East Allington Primary
School, south Devon
Editor notes:
- The regional winners are: Thames Primary School, Blackpool; Brampton Junior School, Cambridgeshire; Glasllwch CP School, Newport, Gwent; Senacre Wood Primary School, Maidstone and Marden Bridge Middle School, Whitley Bay.
- For more information, pictures and interviews contact Dave Hopkins, UK-IPO Media and Communications Officer on 01633 814041 or Ed Stearns, Mason Media, 0207 3951104.
