SHARP Literacy Design Challenge: Creative kids solving real-world problems

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- There are a lot of smart, creative kids out there and on Thursday, March 23, CBS 58's Natalie Shepherd got to see some of them rewarded for that creativity. Natalie was honored to be one of the judges for the annual SHARP Literacy Design Challenge for 4th graders. 

Not only did Natalie get to judge, but she got to announce the winners at Fiserv Forum. 

Teams of students from ten Milwaukee and Waukesha schools had to identify a problem in their community and come up with a device of design to solve it. Then, they created a prototype using what they've learned about engineering, coding and art.

"They get off school, they get to come to Fiserv, we have a great lunch planned for them -- chicken nuggets -- just a day to celebrate them and just to instill that love of learning," said Lynda Kohler, president and CEO of Sharp Literacy. 

The kids at Escuela Vieau designed a water pollution fighting robot, one of the young students said he often saw trash when he went fishing with his dad and in his words, he was "sick of it." 

CBS 58 saw a lot of fascinating and fun robots and creative devices. 

Congratulations to the kids and to the organizers!