[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 8134-8135]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO STUDENTS FROM SADDLE BROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 11, 2006

  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate four 
outstanding students from Saddle Brook Middle School in my district: 
Urszula Kapinos, Heather Kuehnle, Ashley LaRose, and Kasia Truszkowska. 
This team of girls was recently named the national winners of the 
Christopher Columbus Awards competition, a science and technology 
program for middle school students, for their invention called the 
Auto-MAT-ic. As the winners of the competition, the girls received a 
$25,000 award to further develop their prize winning invention.
  The dedication that Urszula, Heather, Ashley, and Kasia have 
demonstrated to this project is a true testament to the excellent work 
that is being done in New Jersey public schools. After learning that 
1.6 million senior citizens are treated in emergency rooms for injuries 
caused by falls in the home and that

[[Page 8135]]

 many of these falls are caused by darkness, these four members of the 
Saddle Brook Gifted and Talented Program figured out a way to help 
solve one of the causes of this problem. As a result of four months of 
intensive research and design, they invented a pressure sensitive floor 
mat, the Auto-MAT-ic, that automatically illuminates a bedside lamp 
enabling seniors to see, so they can walk safely at night. Preventing 
falls will not only save injuries and medical costs, but it will also 
help seniors retain their independence.
  In many ways, the work has only started for these young ladies. They 
are currently putting their $25,000 prize to good use. The girls have 
contracted with a company to help them make their product wireless and 
to date they have made progress in creating four prototypes that are 
being tested by seniors. In addition, the students have created their 
own corporation, Safety Steps LLC. On Monday, May 15, 2006 the group 
will be in Washington, D.C. to meet with Congressional staff, the 
American Association of Retired Persons, and the Center for Aging 
Services Technology about their product and to continue their advocacy 
on behalf of seniors.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of these four students. I commend 
Urszula Kapinos, Heather Kuehnle, Ashley LaRose, and Kasia Truszkowska 
for their continued pursuit of trying to help keep seniors safe by 
creating devices to help prevent falls in the home. On behalf of the 
people of the Ninth Congressional District of New Jersey, I 
congratulate them on winning the Christopher Columbus Award. I wish 
them continued success in their work and advocacy.

                          ____________________