Southington Eighth Grader Nabs National Invention Award

It was one of those days that will stick with 14-year-old LuccaRiccio. 

His mother, Tina Riccio, told the story about Lucca’s grandmother: “We got a call at eleven that she wasn’t probably going to make it through the day,” she said. “So I left work, I grabbed the kids. I went to the hospital.” 

Lucca Riccio demonstrates his Message Mask invention. Photo by WNPR/David DesRoches

Once they got to the hospital, they tried talking to her, but the oxygen mask got in the way. Other relatives couldn’t talk to her, either, because the oxygen machine was so loud.

Lucca was frustrated. His grandmother was frustrated. So he turned that frustration into an idea …Read More