The visit would normally have cost the school $1,500, but the museum was sent to them for free
HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP -- A mobile museum celebrating New Jersey's Hall of Fame rolled into Hopewell's Stony Brook Elementary School Monday, thanks to a group of students who have been pushing for passage of a bill that would make Thomas Edison the official state inventor.
The visit would normally have cost the school $1,500, but the museum was sent to them for free by John Keegan, president of the Edison Innovation Foundation and Hall of Fame Foundation chairman-emeritus.
"It all stemmed from the girls last year and he wanted to send this to our entire school," teacher Sarah Lindbloom said.
Last year, Rory Danieluk, Dylan Kalina, Zoe Kitson and Emma Smith -- then fourth graders -- pitched the bill to designate Edison as part of a project about the legislative process, but went a step further and wrote to their legislators.
In January, they received a letter from Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer) telling them that she would draft a bill and in May, that bill cleared a Senate committee following testimony from the girls and Keegan.
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2015/05/4th_graders_testify_to_designate_thomas_edison_as.html
Throughout Monday, third-, fourth- and fifth-grade classes rotated through the museum. Designed by the late Princeton architect and Hall of Fame inductee Michael Graves, it is housed inside a 53-foot trailer that expands on both sides to create an 850-square-foot exhibition space.
It features artifacts, photographs, film segments and interactive elements about the dozens of artists, entertainer, sports heroes, business leaders and scholars who have been named to the Hall of Fame.
"The whole thing is motivational and inspiring," Lindbloom said. "To show everyone in our school that everything that's highlighted in this room, every person was just an ordinary citizen and they can be in here some day, too."
Andrew Sagotsky, 10, said he was drawn to the displays about Vince Lombardi -- "He's the greatest coach who ever lived" -- and Leon Hess since his grandfather has given him a Hess truck every year.
Alana Dandurand, 9, said she didn't realize how many famous people had New Jersey connections.
"I think it's really cool that you learn about the people born in New Jersey and you get to listen to the different things that happened to them," she said.
Meanwhile, the girls' bill is still in the Senate. They wrote to state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and are now waiting to hear when it can be put on the agenda.
"It's exciting what they've done and what they've accomplished since that," Superintendent Thomas Smith said. "It really shows what you can do when you put your mind to it. ... We can't wait to see the next step and see if Thomas Edison does become the inventor of the state. We hope it happens."
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.