Benjamin E. Dabney, a seventh grader from Radford, Va., and Tucker Haas, a seventh grader from Charlotte, N.C., were named division winners of the Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors. The contest, presented for the second year in a row by the Akron Global Polymer Academy of The University of Akron, attracted more than 600 middle school-age entrants from throughout the country.
Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors 2010 winners are, from left, Benjamin Dabney and Tucker Haas.
Dabney won the contest’s Science and Engineering Division with his ElastiBed. The invention, a combination of rubber bands, PVC pipes and a mosquito net, provides a safe haven for infants and children in developing countries, who are at risk of contracting malaria.
Haas won the contest’s Arts and Leisure Division with his Webands Waterbands. These rubber bands are imprinted with phrases supporting nonprofit organizations and social causes. Haas created an interactive website for use by purchasers of the Webands Waterbands to register online. Registration triggers a request to product purchasers to donate to the nonprofit organizations.
Shelby Dodds of Washington Court House, Ohio was the runner-up for the Science and Engineering Division with Hand-E-Spider Web for hand exercise and strengthening. Zachary Althouse of Paducah, Ky. was the runner-up in the Arts and Leisure Division with his Ping-Pong Equipment Organizer.
The awards ceremony took place on May 1 at the Quaker Square Inn at The University of Akron. Dabney and Haas were each awarded trophies, $5,000 savings bonds and personalized letters of congratulation from Dr. Luis M. Proenza, president of UA.
About the Akron Global Polymer Academy
The Akron Global Polymer Academy is the educational outreach arm for The University of Akron College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. AGPA creates and disseminates knowledge about polymer science, polymer engineering and STEM education through face-to-face teacher workshops, tours and distributive education ventures.
Media contact: Paige Polondakis, 330-972-6482 or Denise Henry, 330-972-6477 or henryd@uakron.edu.