How 9-year-old’s cool invention helped comfort classmates

A small city in Michigan has dealt with an extended heatwave, making conditions brutal in some places, including classrooms.

One boy decided to do something about it.

Abram Barker, a 9-year-old attending Kettle Lake Elementary in Caledonia Township, made his own air conditioner and brought it to the school to keep his fellow fourth-graders cool, as first reported by WOOD-TV of Grand Rapids, Mich. The project cost $10 to make.

Using a fan, a hard plastic tub, several frozen water bottles and towels, Abram’s unit helped cool the room Monday, when temperatures broke 90 degrees for the fifth day in a row, according to The Weather Channel’s website. He got the idea from YouTube but modified it to work better.

“I gave it a larger base and I stuck some towels in there to pick up the sweat and insulate it,” Abram told the television station’s Ellen Bacca.

Abram’s teacher, Kelly LaCroix, was impressed with the invention.

“I was thinking, ‘What a great problem-solver,’ ” LaCroix said.

While the class was thankful for what they named “Abram’s Air,” they’d prefer Popsicles over water bottles next time, the station reported.

The unit won’t be needed Wednesday. After a sixth consecutive day of 90-plus temperatures Tuesday, the forecast for the town 150 west of Detroit calls for four straight days of low 70s or high 60s.

This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 10:10 PM with the headline "How 9-year-old’s cool invention helped comfort classmates."