ELMWOOD PARK, N.J., Monday, December 18, 2006 – Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE:SEE), the creator of Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning, today announced that it has selected 10 semi-finalists in the first-ever Bubble Wrap® Competition for Young Inventors
The competition, which encouraged students in grades 5 through 8 throughout the United States to demonstrate their creativity and ingenuity by designing an invention that incorporated the use of Bubble Wrap® cushioning, attracted nearly 800 entries from 38 states. Students were invited to submit original inventions along with a visual and written description that included the name of the invention, the purpose it serves, how it works and how the idea was formulated.
The 10 semi-finalists that were selected are as follows:
Max Aifer, 10, Arlington, Virginia – “Solar-Powered Bubble Wrap® Boat”– Solar-powered boat that requires no batteries and is propelled through the water via small solar panels.
Hannah Barkey, 13, Steamboat Springs, Colorado – “Steamboat Sealed Air Shade” – A roman shade that is insulated with Bubble Wrap® cushioning.
Alex Chalcraft, 13, Gilbert, Arizona – “The Easy Check Chore Chart” – Chore chart that lists a series of weekly tasks and allows children to pop a bubble each time they complete a chore.
Henry Clayton, 13, New Canaan, Connecticut – “Bubble Muffler” – Reduces or muffles the noise level of a drum set without compromising its tonal quality.
Megan Guerrero, 13, San Angelo, Texas – “The Empire State Building: A Three-Dimensional Construction Project” – Three-dimensional puzzle that uses custom-cut pieces of Bubble Wrap® cushioning to build a 2.5 foot replica of the Empire State Building.
Sheldon Keel, 11, Grayslake, Illinois – “Ann T. Stress Doll” – Bubble Wrap® doll that helps “decrease frustrations and increase patience.”
Devin Kilbarger, 12, Mt. Sterling, Ohio – “Bubble Wrap® Seed Incubator” – Mini greenhouse that incubates seeds and evenly spaces them inside individual Bubble Wrap® bubbles.
Patrick Nachtsheim, 12, Shawnee, Kansas – “The Safe Firecracker” – Device that twists and pops Bubble Wrap® cushioning with a crank handle to create a firecracker sound effect.
Cheyenne Rogers, 10, Vandalia, Ohio – “Bubble Wrap® Painters” – Paint rollers and pads that are lined with Bubble Wrap® cushioning to create a textured paint effect.
Grayson Rosenberger, 14, Nashville, Tennessee – “Bubble Wrap® Cosmetic Covering Shell for Artificial Legs in Developing Countries” – Cost-effective, cosmetic skin covering for artificial leg designed to conceal the prosthetic limb and create the appearance of muscle tone.
“Sealed Air and its panel of judges were astounded by the hundreds of outstanding entries we received,” stated William V. Hickey, Sealed Air’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We were truly inspired by the creativity and innovative vision of America’s young minds and how they applied their talents to devise inventions with one of our most beloved and trusted products. The caliber of entries made it very difficult for the judges to select the 10 semi-finalists.”
In early January, three finalists will be chosen from this group and will win a three-day trip to New York City, where the Grand Prize Winner will be announced on Bubble Wrap® Appreciation Day, January 29, 2007. In addition, the Grand Prize Winner will receive a $10,000 savings bond, while the 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive $5,000 and $3,000 respectively in savings bonds. The remaining seven semi-finalists will each receive $500 in savings bonds.
Submissions were judged in coordination with the National Museum of Education and were ranked based on their originality, creativity, practicality, benefit to society, marketability and feasibility, as well as overall presentation. Entries received ranged from a Bubble Wrap® saddle cushion and portable candy packaging to an instrument case and fish tank decor.
Bubble Wrap® cushioning was invented by Sealed Air’s founders in 1960 and was originally intended to be used as a type of textured wallpaper. The inventors quickly realized it was actually a superior cushioning material, and Sealed Air is now a global, Fortune 500 company that offers a wide range of packaging solutions, has operations in 51 countries and has annual sales in excess of $4 billion. Sealed Air is widely recognized for its strong commitment to innovation, and continues to be an industry leader in research and development.
The Bubble Wrap® Competition for Young Inventors is sponsored by Sealed Air and administered by the National Museum of Education. For additional information on Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning and the competition, visit www.bubblewrap.com.
