The Valdosta Daily Times: Meet a Young Inventor Written By Dean Poling, December 08, 2008
An invention to help the invalid pull on their socks has taken a Hahira Middle School student to Taiwan. The concept for his Sock Assist Stick came to eighth-grader Wesley Newton, youngest son of John and Teresa Newton, upon seeing that his ill grandmother was unable to pull on her socks. He took his idea from the brainstorming phase to drawings to building test models with help from his father, John Newton, Lowndes High School engineering and technology teacher. They created a workable prototype, one where you place the sock in the jaws of the stick. The jaws widen to open the sock, making it possible to insert a foot and then pull the sock up the ankle without having to bend over.
Though he does not physically need help putting on his socks, Wesley says through practice the Sock Assist Stick works. His grandmother, however, was never able to use the invention she had inspired. She passed away before Wesley had finished the prototype. But his work with the Sock Assist Stick was not finished, and it would soon take him places.
A couple of years ago, John Newton, because of his work at LHS, was invited on a trip to Taiwan from Serena Huang, a Valdosta resident and Taiwan native, who is the founder of the locally based Azalea International Folk Fair. The annual festival started as the Asian Cultural Experience, at first in area schools before becoming a public event at Mathis City Auditorium then the James H. Rainwater Conference Center, before encompassing cultures throughout the world as the Azalea International Folk Fair.
Huang invited John Newton to travel to Taiwan to learn about Power Tech, a Taiwanese-sanctioned contest that has youths building mechanical devices that they then race, battle and compete against each other. Huang wanted Newton to bring Power Tech back to the Azalea International Folk Fair, making Valdosta the only American site to be sanctioned by the Taiwan Creative Development Association.
This September, the elder Newton was invited to be a judge in the Fifth Annual International Exhibition for Young Inventors in Taiwan. Learning of Wesleys invention, the exhibitions organizers also invited the Hahira Middle student to compete in Taiwan. Serena Huang traveled with the Newtons, and there are plans of introducing a young inventors competition to the Folk Fair, which may include travel for a winner to the next international inventors exhibition. So, by the end of September, John and Wesley Newton found themselves on a father-and-son adventure of shared interest in Taiwan. Wesley competed in a division that included high school students from eight-grade to 20 years old. Wesley tried various Asian cuisine, enjoying some dishes, others not so much. Father and son visited temples, a mine, and met young inventors from several nations, including Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Despite cultural differences, the Newtons found participants from all nations friendly. Communication was simple because almost all of the participants had been taught English in school.
How I love to see the connection children built either from sharing information of their invention or from just smiling to each other, Huang notes. What a beautiful picture to see children across all races, all religions, and all colors become friends without boundary.
For Wesley Newton, inventor, traveler, and student, it was the opportunity to see the world while he shared his invention with the world.
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International Exhibition for Young Inventors 2008, Taipei, Taiwanby AzaleaInternational1,820 views
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