SEALED AIR NAMES THREE STUDENT FINALISTS
IN SECOND ANNUAL BUBBLE WRAP® COMPETITION
FOR YOUNG INVENTORS
Young Inventors to Head to New York City for
Celebratory Weekend,
Followed by Grand Prize Winner Announcement on Bubble
Wrap® Appreciation Day
ELMWOOD PARK, N.J., January 7, 2008 – The
crowning of America’s next young inventor is drawing nearer, as Sealed
Air Corporation (NYSE:SEE), the creator of Bubble Wrap® brand
cushioning, today announced the three student finalists in the second
annual, nationwide Bubble Wrap® Competition for Young
Inventors. The three finalists selected from around the country, and
listed in no particular order, are:
Max Wallack, 11, Natick, MA – “Carpal
Cushion” – An eighth-grader at the Advanced Math and Science
Academy, Max used Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning to create
an adjustable wrist cushion designed to help alleviate and prevent
the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome experienced by computer
users, as well as agricultural and manufacturing workers in foreign
and developing nations.
Hannah Haas, 13, Charlotte, NC – “Sensory
Wallpaper” – A home-schooled eighth-grader who used Bubble Wrap®
brand cushioning to create a wallpaper designed to stimulate and
engage children afflicted with autism through the combination of a
textured bubble surface containing large and small bubbles, and a
calming, blue wallpaper background.
Nicolette Mann, 13, Christiansburg, VA –
“Transformable Bubble Wrap® Kite” – A home-schooled
eighth-grader who used Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning to create a
single kit that enables the easy assembly of multiple flying kites
by providing detailed instructions on how to construct different
formations, shapes and styles.
"The innovation, ingenuity and spirited design of the
student inventions submitted in this year’s Bubble Wrap®
Competition for Young Inventors has been nothing short of spectacular,
and we’re delighted at how this program continues to motivate young
children to tap into their creative and inventive talents,” stated
William V. Hickey, Sealed Air’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
"The wide range of high-caliber entries made the judges’ job of
narrowing down the field even more daunting than last year, but these
three inventions really stood out for their impressive creativity,
usefulness and benefit to society. We congratulate both the students and
their mentors, and look forward to celebrating our three finalists in
New York City later this month."
As the three finalists, Max, Hannah and Nicolette
will be flown along with a family member to New York City, where the
Grand Prize Winner and runner-ups will be announced on Bubble Wrap®
Appreciation Day (January 28, 2008).
During their visit to New York, the finalists will
enjoy an exclusive tour of Sealed Air’s main Bubble Wrap® manufacturing
plant in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. Later that evening, they will travel
into Manhattan to see the award-winning, international smash sensation
STOMP, where, as special guests of the producers, they will be treated
to a special backstage meeting with the cast members. A unique
combination of percussion, movement and visual comedy, STOMP has created
its own inimitable, contemporary form of rhythmic expression: both
household and industrial objects find new life as musical instruments in
the hands of an idiosyncratic band of body percussionists. The
finalists’ Big Apple weekend will then culminate with a special dinner
awards celebration at New York’s famous Rainbow Room in Rockefeller
Center.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $10,000 U.S.
savings bond, while the second and third place winners will each receive
$5,000 and $3,000 U.S. savings bonds, respectively as well as a special
gift bag courtesy of OfficeMax® Incorporated. The remaining 12
semi-finalists will each receive a $500 U.S. savings bond.
About the Bubble Wrap® Competition for
Young Inventors
The Bubble Wrap® Competition for Young
Inventors encourages U.S. students in grades 5 through 8 to demonstrate
their creativity and ingenuity by designing an invention that
incorporates the use of Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning.
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.
This year’s competition attracted more than 1400
entries, nearly twice the number submitted last year, with entries
ranging from a Bubble Wrap® wheel chair cushion and
protective car door cover, to a collapsible plant shelter and
shock-absorbing dance floor. Submissions were judged in coordination
with the National Museum of Education and ranked based on several
criteria including originality, creativity, practicality, benefit to
society, marketability and feasibility, as well as overall presentation.
About Bubble Wrap® Brand Cushioning
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. For
additional information on Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning and
the competition, visit
