Canada’s largest toy manufacturer is considering an idea from a Nova Scotia teen who recently took top honours at a national toy competition and science fair.
Jonathan Dares says his little sister inspired him to design the stuffed animal solar nightlight.
“My sister likes stuffed animals and she likes to take solar lights to bed, so I thought I’d combine the two for her,” says the 15-year-old Lockeport, N.S. resident.
At first glance, Dares’s invention appears to be a typical stuffed toy, but it contains a solar panel, which charges through the day when left in the sun.
“Then it lights up at night,” explains Dares. “It’s just cotton inside and the solar light and I used the inside of a pop bottle can to make the spot by the light reflective.”
Pleased with the end result, Dares decided to enter his design into the Spin Master New Toyand Game Competition. He and his mother travelled to Montreal for the final round of the competition and presented the toy to the judges, along with a research project on the target audience that would likely purchase his design.
Impressed with his idea, the judges awarded Dares the top prize, which earned him a robot, $2,500, and a trip to the country’s toy manufacturer, Spin Master.
If Spin Master decides to pick up his design, Dares will received 4 per cent per each toy sold.
“I was quite surprised and thought I must have been dreaming,” says the teen.
Jeff Rankin, the principal at Lockeport Regional High School, says he was surprised to hear his student had won the competition, since he didn’t tell many people he was entering.
“Jonathan’s a pretty quiet and unassuming guy, but you can tell there’s a lot going on, you know, behind the eyes when you’re talking to him,” says Rankin. “He took it upon himself and achieved that goal, so it was kind of neat.”
Meanwhile, Dares says he is already looking forward to coming up with a new creation for next year’s competition.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Suzette Belliveau
