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Author:
Rachel Renée Russell

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Dork Diaries Book 14

Dork Diaries

#1 New York Times Bestselling Series

7

April 30, 2019

SPOTLIGHT ON…ALEXIS LEWIS, INVENTOR!

Alexis Lewis of Chapel Hill, NC is an inventor. She’s seventeen now, and she’s been inventing since she was a kid. SO cool!!!

She’s not the first kid inventor. Benjamin Franklin invented swim flippers when he was twelve. Other inventions by kids over the years include popsicles, trampolines, Braille, Christmas lights, and earmuffs!

And guess what? There’s no age restriction on getting a patent in the United States! A patent is a legal right to an invention that tells the world it’s yours and no one else can make money off your idea. Which means any kid can invent something! Can you make it a reality? Who knows? But you’ll never know unless you try!

Alexis holds a patent on something called a wheeled travois, which she invented when she was twelve. She came up with the idea during the 2011 Somali famine, when she heard about families with small children having to make long journeys on foot to refugee centers and how parents too weak to carry their children couldn’t make the journey. Based on a Native American transportation device, Alexis designed a collapsible, wheeled transport device that can be shipped and dropped on frequently-traveled refugee roads. It has since also been distributed in rural Africa to help the sick and elderly reach doctors, as well as to haul water and carry goods to markets. Amazing!

Alexis has also invented something called an Emergency Mask Pod – a lightweight smoke mask inside a football-shaped pod that firefighters can easily shoot through windows to help people trapped in burning buildings. Alexis designed the EMP using Tinkercad, a free online design software, and she produced it on a 3-D printer.

Alexis advocates for Inventing 101 classes to be taught in middle schools and for 3-D printers to be made available in libraries and maker spaces. Inventing doesn’t require genius, she says. People just need to learn about the inventing process, which basically includes coming up with an idea, research, creation, testing, failing, tweaking, and then MORE testing, failing, and tweaking until you get it right! You must also be given the right support and resources.

Alexis has given talks about inventing at the Smithsonian Museum, the White House, and the National Maker Faire!

How about you? Have you ever invented anything? Ever dreamed about it? What would you create if you had all the resources you needed? Tell us in the comments!

Category: My Diary Tags: Spotlightnikki

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Comments

  1. Puppy dog says

    May 13, 2019 at 5:58 pm

    I would want to invent something like a new toy or something

  2. Anonymous says

    May 13, 2019 at 2:41 pm

    She sounds so COOL!!!

  3. dreamer says

    May 12, 2019 at 10:26 am

    I would definitely want to try to invent a thing,size of a key,so that people who are poor and cannot afford to pay for the air tickets can go which country they want to for free!

    They just need to say where they wanna go,press the button on the remote thing ,and they reach the country!

  4. unicorn lover says

    May 12, 2019 at 10:22 am

    I have always dreamed of making recipe cause I love to bake,cook,and eat!

    If I have all the resources and ability I needed,I would LOVE to make an app that will be useful for seniors,adults,and kids!(above 8 yrs)

    I hope my dream will come true!

  5. red head says

    May 12, 2019 at 7:22 am

    I would keep dreaming

  6. Ry says

    May 10, 2019 at 9:38 pm

    I invented a drink this is the recipie
    Blackberry lemonade
    Strawberry’s so you you pour the lemonade in a cup take the juice out of the strawberry’s and put in the cup then chop up a straw berry as tiny as you can and then drink non appetite

  7. Meatballs or mothballs? Idk says

    May 9, 2019 at 8:44 pm

    Shout out to CCP, Player. For best art!! U r so talented
    Keep dreaming

  8. 62659652568 says

    May 9, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    YAY!!!!!!!!Girl power!!!!!:)

  9. candylover says

    May 9, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    Alexis Lewis so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  10. Crystal Gemma says

    May 8, 2019 at 3:03 am

    Nice! I also like inventing new things (from the things in my backyard and also from my house).
    xox

  11. Dreamer says

    May 8, 2019 at 2:48 am

    A dream backpack: it has a charger for your phone, enter your private password and it will open the backpack, (change it if someone snuck in) it’s own WIFI, mirror, and lip gloss!

    • James Charles gone wrong says

      May 9, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      OMG!!! SIS!!! I would buy that in a heartbeat… my phone is always dead. I need wifi a mirror and lipgloss! And girl the code thing is totally GENIUS. Sister, invent that and I’ll buy it in a heartbeat.

  12. Whatso says

    May 5, 2019 at 8:51 pm

    I want to be an inventor!

  13. Dorklisious says

    May 5, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    I love all your books am at number12

  14. Fantastic beasts dork says

    May 5, 2019 at 11:41 am

    Our city is the airplane capital of the world

  15. Katyaadje says

    May 4, 2019 at 8:58 pm

    Cool

  16. Flower says

    May 4, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    So inspiring! I’ve tried to make cupcakes, (isn’t that cool, but whatever) it failed, but after practice, I finally made edible cupcakes!! Lol.

  17. Dorky says

    May 4, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    Making the BFG game in my dreams for the Nintendo Switch

  18. CattaLatta101 says

    May 4, 2019 at 8:08 am

    Hay, that’s so cool! I would never be able to invent anything, I’m clueless on ideas!!

  19. Cuttyqueen2009 says

    May 4, 2019 at 1:52 am

    Wow

  20. Dorky123 says

    May 4, 2019 at 12:40 am

    That’s nice

  21. NC GURL_4 EVA5678 says

    May 3, 2019 at 9:56 pm

    I live NC!!Omg! I also live really close to Chapell Hill!!!!!THIS IS SOOOO COOL!! Mind blown!

  22. Tarfern44 says

    May 3, 2019 at 9:14 pm

    I’ve always wanted to invent flavored braces you can pick any flavor you like and you rub it on your teeth and it’s just like braces how cool is that ♥️♥️♥️♥️

  23. Dorky Like Chloe says

    May 3, 2019 at 7:31 pm

    the Popsicle was invented in my hometown. is it okay if i say my town, Nikki? Because everyone thinks it was invented in Oakland, but that’s not true.

    • Ginygirl4_EVA says

      May 3, 2019 at 9:49 pm

      Omg! I wanna be an engineer when I grow up! So,THIS IS REALLY COOL!!!

    • Imma lover not a fighter✌ says

      May 3, 2019 at 9:53 pm

      That’s really cool! I want to know what town the popsicle was REALLY made in!!

    • Ry says

      May 10, 2019 at 9:34 pm

      Cool

  24. Awesomely Dork says

    May 3, 2019 at 7:59 am

    I wonder where she got her brilliant ideas! I tried to think of an invention i could invent, but i couldn’t.

    • Dorkygirl 2.0 says

      May 3, 2019 at 8:51 pm

      You’ll find one soon! Good luck!

    • Natalie says

      May 6, 2019 at 12:08 am

      Yeah, girl! You WILL find something to invent! Oh, and um… I invented a push-up tissue box(which you all might think is pretty LAME)

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