Stretch Your Imagination

Got rubber bands? Think you can invent a new product, or way of using them? If so, then this contest is for you: the Akron Global Polymer Academy’s fifth annual Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors.

The contest challenges young people in grades five through eight to demonstrate their creativity and ingenuity with rubber bands. Future artists and scientists alike compete in either the Arts/Leisure or Science/Engineering division. The inventions are judged on creativity/originality, effectiveness/usefulness, design/execution, an essay and how well you’ve integrated rubber bands into your design.

What could you possibly do with a rubber band? Well, last year’s winner of the Arts division created a rubber band tree, and the science/engineering prize went to a piano page turner. Here are some categories to get your mind stretching: 

• apparel
• household
• automotive
• lawn/garden
• construction
• media/software
• cosmetics
• medical
• crafts
• music
• creative packaging
• quality of life improvement
• education
• safety
• entertainment
• sports
• furniture
• textiles
• games & toys.

You can use any color of rubber band, rubber bands of all sized and anywhere from just a few to lots and lots and lots of rubber band. Find out more at http://rubberbandcontest.org. The contest deadline is April 5, 2013. Head over to STEM Friday for more science ideas.