Sallie B. Howard Sixth Grader Lydia Denton Invents Life-Saving “Beat the Heat Car Seat”

Wilson, NC – Eleven year-old Sallie B. Howard School 6th grader Lydia Denton is being recognized in the press for her product invention: the “Beat the Heat Car Seat.”

The Wilson native was recently featured on WRAL News for creating this life-saving device which is designed to text parents when their child’s car seat reaches an un-safe temperature. If the car seat is not reset within 60 seconds, the device will automatically call 911 and provide responders with the GPS location of the seat.

Denton was inspired to create this product after hearing of the death of an infant in a hot car. “She’s a very empathetic child and was saddened by the news of a baby dying in such a tragic fashion,” says mom Covey Denton, an award-winning science teacher. “I challenged her to come up with a solution to the hot car deaths. She came up with the idea of the ‘Beat the Heat Car Seat’ and had her brother Elijah (13), her sister Bethany (9), and even her cat, Navidad, help develop it.”

Now that the prototype has been created, the Dentons are currently seeking investors to further develop the device and bring it to market.

“Students like Lydia Denton exemplify Sallie B. Howard School’s commitment to STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics) and our mission to produce world-class leaders who will drive innovative solutions to our society’s most pressing problems,” says Dr. JoAnne Woodard, founder and executive director of Sallie B. Howard School for the Arts and Education (SBHS). “We are so proud to have Lydia as part of the SBHS family!”

In addition to coming up with new science inventions, Lydia loves to perform in community musicals, paint and draw, and volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House. Ms. Denton, who holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from UNC-Chapel Hill, encourages STEM exploration for all of her children and hosts a regular science segment on WITN News.

About Sallie B. Howard School for the Arts & Education

Sallie B. Howard School for the Arts & Education (SBHS) is a free, public charter school founded in 1997 in Wilson, N.C. that serves over 1000 students in grades K-8. Named after the legendary author, educator, playwright and actress Sallie Baldwin Howard, SBHS is dedicated to ensuring that every child – privileged or underprivileged – gets the kind of education that will allow them to become more than they ever thought they would be. With a performing arts-based curriculum, a study abroad program, a culturally diverse faculty and student body, and an expansion to the SBH High School of Biotechnology and the Fine Arts in 2020, Sallie B. Howard School is preparing its students to become 21st century industry leaders both locally and globally. For more information, visit http://www.salliebhowardschool.com/.