'Shark Tank' contestant inspires FRES students

By Nathan Pfau, Army Flier Staff WriterMarch 27, 2015

'Shark Tank' contestant inspires FRES students
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FORT RUCKER, Ala. (March 27, 2015) -- March kicked off STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Month at Fort Rucker Elementary School, and the students got some words of wisdom from a Wiregrass local who has made his mark as an inventor.

Travis Perry, Dothan resident and inventor of the Chord Buddy, was a contestant on the popular ABC show "Shark Tank" and visited the children at FRES March 2 to help inspire them and show them that failure, as much as success is part of the inventing process, said Dr. Vicki Gilmer, FRES principal.

"We wanted to bring the children a get a real-life example of someone who's local in our area and made a real-life invention," she said. "Shark Tank is such a hit, so we wanted the children to really see a real-life demonstration from (Perry), and he was just fantastic with the children. He was right there on their level. He talked about how there was so much trial and error, and how he had to go back and improve, and how it helped him do something he wanted to do."

Perry invented the Chord Buddy, which is an invention of his own design that helps people to learn how to play the guitar. He conceptualized the idea at 18 and sat on the idea for 30 years. Because of his daughter's frustration over not being able to play the guitar, he decided to pursue the idea and went on the show in order to get the funding to make his idea come to life.

Since the show, he has sold over 250,000 Chord Buddies in five countries, and made almost $10 million, and it's that kind of success that came out of determination, and it's that determination that FRES wanted to show the children was necessary for success, said Marye Bess Browning, of FRES.

While speaking to the children, he explained to them the process of developing the invention, the patent process and how he developed 17 prototypes before getting it right.

"The students have been working on the engineering design process all year, so they know how to ask the questions, how to problem solve and how to improve," said Gilmer. "In terms of motivation, I think (having him come speak to them) makes it realistic for them. It's not one of those things that just tell you that 'one day you can do this,' but with him coming, they could see it and see that he actually did it and followed his dream."

Many of the students found his presentation to be very entertaining, as well as helpful, like Natalie Thorman, FRES student, who said the presentation wasn't only educational, but made her want to learn how to play the guitar.

Perry's visit ties in with STEM Month and the students creating their own inventions throughout the month. By hearing of Perry's ups and downs throughout his process, it helps to motivate the children to continue to keep trying, said Gilmer.

"It was a good connection for them to see his processes, so when they're about to launch their process for (their inventions), they can use him as a reference point and say, 'He did this and it didn't work, but it's OK if it doesn't work. I can go back and try something else,'" she said.

Not only was the presentation a good motivator, but it's also important to help nurture a child's creativity and learning, said the principal.

"With the world that we live in now, it's more about those who create," she said. "We see a lot of things that are automated these days -- basic functioning skills -- but to have somebody that can create and problem solve, that's what companies are looking for these days, and you don't want to squash that when they're young. You've got to foster that imagination.

"Sometimes the sciences taught to children are drawn down in schools the older kids get, but what we need to do is expand it instead of draw it down," Gilmer said. "Here at FRES, we're going to start with them young and stretch their mind and their wonder and their design ideas."

As a culminating event, the school will host its STEM FEST March 27, which is a celebration of all the work the students have been working on throughout the year with the engineering design process. There will be different stations set up to challenge the children with physical challenges, brain challenges, engineering challenges and art challenges.

The students will rotate through the different challenges as a way to see how they can use their brain differently with each challenge to come up with different ideas and features, said Gilmer.

"We're just really excited," said the FRES principal. "We're excited to give the children this opportunity and we're very excited to be a designated STEM school so that we can provide these children with the best education possible."

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