Horsham 3rd Grader's Invention Wins National Toy Competition

HORSHAM, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Third-grader Emery Alderson won the Chicago Toy Game Week Young Inventor Challenge. Magformers, a major toy company, picked her invention.

"It felt really great. I was actually kind of shocked. I was really, really excited. I was jumping up and down, Emery told Action News in an interview with her mom, Amy, from their home in Horsham, Montgomery County.

Her invention, called Slap Happy, is a hand with interchangeable logos that allows you to give high fives while staying socially distanced.

A swimmer, she was thinking of ways she and others could get back to sports.

It was her teacher, Mrs. Bozzomo, at Simmons Elementary who gave Emery's class the task of coming up with an invention as part of her virtual lesson plan.

"It really goes to show me that if I put my head to something I can really work on it and I can make it great. Sometimes it will work out sometimes it won't, but this time it worked out, and it's really great," Emery said.

"Online schooling presented some challenges so this was really unique opportunity that her teacher posed to the class, and it really got the kids moving with some projects," said Emery's mom, Amy.

"It doesn't have to be some big, elaborate project. It can be very simple. Mine was super simple. I made it out of cardboard and magnets and look how far I've gotten," Emery added.

Emery wins a prize package of $250 worth of toys and games.