Students in grades five through eight can stretch their imaginations to the limit by means of rubber bands. The Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors challenges youngsters nationwide to create inventions that incorporate the use of rubber bands.
Presented by The University of Akron’s Akron Global Polymer Academy and the Rubber Division, American Chemical Society, the contest features two competition divisions: Arts/Leisure and Science/Engineering. Four finalists will be brought to Akron, Ohio where the first-place winner and runner-up in each division will be announced at a May 1 awards ceremony.
The first-place winner in each division will receive a $5,000 savings bond. The runner-up in each division will receive a $2,500 savings bond. The top eight semifinalists in each division, who are not selected as finalists, will each receive $50 gift cards. The teacher/mentor of each first place winner will receive a $400 gift card, and the teacher/mentor of each runner-up will receive a $200 gift card.
To enter, youngsters should submit a completed official entry form; a sketch of the invention; and an essay of 1,000 words or less explaining the invention’s purpose, how it works, how the idea was created, and how it will be used or make everyday life easier or more enjoyable. The deadline for entries is Feb. 10, 2010. Complete contest entry rules and details are available at RubberBandContest.
The Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors was launched last year. Then-12-year-old Max Aifer of Arlington, Va., placed first in the competition with his “Plant Sitter” invention.
Media Contact: Denise Henry, 330-972-6477; henryd@uakron.edu.