Akron Global Polymer Academy nurtures fledging entrepreneurs and inventors

An astounding art piece that uses projection to create dazzling displays of light and shadow, and an avian food delivery system that ensures its patrons never have to wait for human benefactors to notice their bare feeding space; what could possibly connect these two things? Rubber bands of course!

Two young trailblazers stretched their minds to come up with these designs, which incorporate rubber bands in imaginative and functional ways, for the Seventh Annual Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors. 

The Akron Global Polymer Academy (AGPA) at The University of Akron announced Laura Salazar of Keller, Texas and Adia Bulawa of Greeneville, Tenn. as the winners of this talent-fostering competition today. 

The contest tests the creativity and innovation of fifth- to eighth-grade students nationwide by challenging them to produce rubber band-based devices.  With a nod to Akron’s heritage as the Rubber City, the rubber band creations competed in two categories: Arts & Leisure and Science & Engineering, with Salazar’s “The Elastic Shadow” and Bulawa’s “No More Angry Birds Bird Feeder” placing first in the divisions respectively. Judged by a panel of engineers, scientists and art experts, the inventions receive merit based on their originality, usefulness, design and integration of rubber bands. 

Laura Salazar and her “The Elastic Shadow.”

Adia Bulawa and her “No More Angry Birds Bird Feeder.”

Victors beat out 400+

Entries from 412 contestants representing 22 states participated in the competition. As first-place winners, Salazar and Bulawa will receive $2,000 for their mind-bending inventions, while runners-up will receive $1,000.

Lainey Waldman of Las Vegas, Nev. was named runner-up of the Arts & Leisure division with her “Unique” submission and Jacqueline Daniel from Anchorage, Alaska placed as runner-up in the Science & Engineering division with her “Rube Goldberg Cat Feeder.”

The four remaining finalists in each division will also receive a $50 prize and $250 will be awarded to the four schools with the most contest entries:

• Eagle Ridge Middle School (Ashburn, Va.),
• North Ridgeville Middle School (North Ridgeville, Ohio),
• St. Mary School Chardon (Chardon, Ohio), and
• Brady Middle School (Pepper Pike, Ohio).

For more details visit http://rubberbandcontest.org

About the Akron Global Polymer Academy at The University of Akron

The AGPA is an education outreach program for the UA College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering.  AGPA’s goal is to create and spread information about polymer science, polymer engineering, and STEM education through hands on teacher workshops, tours and distributive education ventures.  The Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors is just one of the many ways The University of Akron is nurturing growth and knowledge in future engineers, inventors, and creators, who will someday shape the world of tomorrow.

Story by Samantha Sipe

Media contact: Denise Henry, 330-972-6477 or henryd@uakron.edu.