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Two Local Eighth-Graders Gaining National Attention For Award-Winning Inventions

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Two local eighth-graders are proving that innovation can happen at any age. Their inventions are gaining national attention.

Alaina Gassler and Rachel Bergey recently won top prizes in the Broadcom Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars competition.

On Thursday, Alaina explained her invention at the Independence Blue Cross Center For Innovation which helped her bring home the grand prize of $25,000.

"My science project was titled 'Improving Automobile Safety By Removing Blind Spots,'" Alaina said. "The basic design was there was a web camera on the outside of the pillar and it was getting everything that was behind the pillar and then it sent it to a projector that was over the driver's head and the video feed would then project onto the 'A' pillar."

The other young inventor developed a spotted lanternfly trap made of tinfoil and netting.

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