Sealed Air Corporation, creator of Bubble Wrap brand cushioning, announced the three finalists in the Fifth Annual Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors, a nationwide competition that encourages students in grades six through eight to design an invention that incorporates the use of Bubble Wrap brand cushioning. The three finalists were chosen from entries from all over the U.S. and are now in the running to win a $10,000 (US) savings bond. The grand prize winner will be announced at the Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 21.

The Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors invites students to demonstrate their creativity and ingenuity by submitting 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.

“Each year we look for inventions that embody the creativity in America’s youth; ones that really exemplify what the Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors is all about,” said William V. Hickey, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sealed Air. “Selecting this year’s finalists was especially challenging with many great invention entries, but the three finalists had something special that stood out above the rest.”

The Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors is administered in conjunction with Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company.  All submitted entries were judged based on their originality, creativity and practicality, as well as their benefit to society, marketability and overall presentation. This year’s competition attracted entries from all across the U.S., with submissions that included everything from a floating garden, to an environmentally friendly birdhouse, to a bed that keeps disaster victims safe and warm.

This year’s three finalists are:

Lillith Bulawa, Ava, N.Y. - “Floating Garden of Bubble-On” – A garden that floats on top of water with the aid of Bubble Wrap cushioning. This self-watering garden sits in a box atop a raft, which is made buoyant by Bubble Wrap material, and is designed to help save crops in flood zones.

Mackenzie Conkling, Massapequa, N.Y. – “Uber Bubble Glove” – A glove insulated by two different layers of Bubble Wrap material and covered by a larger glove in order keep the hands of people affected by ailments like Raynaud’s Disease warm in cold weather.

Autumn Trogdon, Windsor, Calif. – “Cell Phone Holder” – An inexpensive, lightweight cell phone case made entirely of Bubble Wrap cushioning. It is created as a low cost way for keeping your phone safe.

To make it to the final round, each of the finalists was required to build and deliver full-scale working versions of their invention to be reviewed by a panel of judges. The three finalists and a family member will be provided with a three day trip to New York City where they will experience a tour of the Sealed Air Bubble Wrap factory and vie for the grand prize of a $10,000 U.S. savings bond. The second and third prize winners will also receive $5,000 and $3,000 U.S. savings bonds, respectively. The teacher/mentor of each finalist will also receive a $500 gift card.

The brand enjoys the reputation of a pop-culture phenomenon today. Bubble Wrap brand cushioning has more than two million likes on Facebook and has inspired users to come up with hundreds of different uses. Beyond its “pop” appeal, Bubble Wrap brand cushioning has also helped spur the growth of parent company Sealed Air Corporation, which today operates in 52 countries and has annual revenue in excess of $4 billion. You can read more about the 2011 and previous Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors winners at www.bubblewrapcompetition.com/

Sealed Air
(201) 791-7600
www.sealedair.com